Convincing Landon

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A Total-E-Bound Publication

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Convincing Landon ISBN # 978-0-85715-813-0 ©Copyright Serena Yates 2011 Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright November 2011 Edited by Stacey Birkel Total-E-Bound Publishing This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing. Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution. The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork. Published in 2011 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, United Kingdom.

Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Total-e-burning and a sexometer of 2.

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Men of Riverside

CONVINCING LANDON Serena Yates

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Book seven in the Men of Riverside Series Afraid of being openly gay, Landon rejected Kendall after a brief affair. Will they be able to make a fresh start when chance reunites them years later? Landon Tully is a social worker who only returned to Riverside for his father’s funeral. But when a job opportunity opens up, he decides to stay for a while. Within days he runs into Kendall Gable, the man he’d thought was too young for him eight years ago – only now Kendall is all grown up and on the opposite side of a bidding contest for the land Landon has been asked to obtain to build a homeless shelter. Kendall has made a life for himself as an architect. Focusing on work has helped him fill the hole in his life that Landon left behind. Running into him is painful, but helps him realise some of the issues in his professional life need fixing. Will Kendall be able to convince himself, and Landon, that they deserve a life together after all?

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Dedication For those who never give up hope that luck, determination and love may bring separated lovers back together for the happy ending we all crave.

Trademarks Acknowledgement The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Coke: The Coca Cola Company, Atlanta, Georgia Bud: Anheuser-Busch InBev

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Chapter One

Riverside, Texas Thursday, June 6, 1991 “No!” The ragged scream tore into the mid-afternoon silence, brutally ending the peaceful quiet time just before the day’s chores were done. Landon’s head jerked up, his eyes rising from the dusty ground he’d mindlessly been staring at as he was walking towards the very building that the pain-filled sound had come from. The barn they kept the horses in was just as ramshackle as most of the other buildings on their run-down farm, but it pretty much served its purpose most of the time. Who was even in there right now? Most of the hands hadn’t returned from the fields yet, wouldn’t be expected back for at least another hour. Hell, he wasn’t supposed to be here, either. But the dress rehearsal for tomorrow’s graduation ceremony at Riverside High had gone so well, they’d all been sent home early. Another scream, more muffled than the first one, spurred him into action. He ran the rest of the way, pushing the heavy wooden doors open with enough force to bruise his hands. It took his eyes a few seconds to adjust from the glaring sunshine to the half-dark of the barn’s interior. He scanned the mostly empty stalls, quickly walking past them towards the tack room, searching for anything out of order. “Please. Please don’t.” The voice sounded small and scared, and undeniably belonged to his younger brother, Greg. “Shut up.” Ray was five years older than Landon and nobody would call him soft. Or even nice. But the venom dripping from his short utterance just now was chilling. Landon almost ran to the last stall, stumbling in his haste to reach Greg. He gripped the wooden separation for support, only vaguely noticing the splinters penetrating his skin. What he saw not only confirmed his suspicions from hearing the screams, but made the blood freeze in his veins. Greg was curled up in the foetal position on the floor, straw sticking to his jeans and the T-shirt that had slipped up, exposing several bruises on his sides. His hands covered his head www.total-e-bound.com

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as Ray kicked him brutally in the back with the heavy cowboy boots their eldest brother preferred to wear. “Stop it!” Landon stepped farther into the stall, attempting to get between Ray and Greg to stop this madness. Greg whimpered. Ray looked up, the anger in his eyes quickly giving way to shock. “What are you doing here?” Ray staggered, supporting himself by placing a hand on the back wall when he reached it. “You…you’re not supposed to be back yet.” “I’m glad I returned earlier.” Landon went on his knees to place a supporting hand on Greg’s head, not taking his eyes off Ray for a second. “What the hell is going on here?” “Just a little much-needed discipline.” Ray sneered at Greg’s cowering form. “Let the little shit here know that his easy days are over, now that you’re graduating and moving away. It’s about time he starts pulling his weight around here.” Landon’s mouth dropped open. “What? You didn’t think I’m going to stand by when you leave to go to that fancy college of yours after the summer and do nothing?” Ray snorted, pulling himself up to his full height. “This place doesn’t run itself, so Greg here is going to have to pick up the pieces and start helping out. He didn’t do a very good job of it today, so I just helped him understand what happens when he’s lazy.” “Wasn’t lazy.” Greg’s voice was barely audible since he hadn’t moved a muscle and was pretty much speaking into his own chest. “Just can’t lift those heavy bales of hay as fast as you want me to.” “You’re going to have to learn.” Ray’s face was a hard mask of anger. “Look, Greg is only sixteen. You can’t expect him to be as strong as you are. He’s still in high school, for heaven’s sake.” Landon shook his head. Greg was strong for his age—a very good football player—but he was no match for Ray’s towering six-foot-four frame and muscles honed by years of hard labour on the ranch. “Come on, Greg, try to get up. I’ll take you to the house to check you out. Let’s just hope we don’t have to go to the hospital.” “Hospital? Don’t make me laugh, that would be just like the little weakling. Showing off on the football field is all you’re good for, isn’t it? As soon as you’re asked to do a man’s job, you collapse.” The glance Ray gave Greg was full of hatred.

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How had Landon missed the bad vibes before now? This was clearly not a sudden outpouring of feelings. Whatever Ray’s problem was must have built for a long time for him to be so vicious now. Was it because he was the eldest and their father expected him to take over one day? Dad was strict and demanding, but was that any reason for Ray to be so mean to their youngest brother? Greg struggled to untangle himself, but he finally managed to get onto his knees. With a last wary look at Ray, he turned towards Landon and took his outstretched hand. Landon pulled him up, ready to support him as he hobbled out of the stall. “This isn’t the last of it!” Ray had followed them but stayed in the barn when they left. “You hear me, Greg? Just because Landon is here to protect you—for now—doesn’t mean you’ll get away with it once he’s gone. Someone has to do the chores, and I’m telling you, you’re it.” Landon ignored that for now and focused on walking back to the house. “Oh, God, I’m so sorry about this.” Greg was looking anywhere but at Landon. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry about.” Landon could have kicked himself for not noticing. They needed some shade and the first aid kit. Then he would deal with the rest. But he couldn’t stop himself from asking. “How long has this been going on?” “Just a few days.” Greg entered the kitchen and sat on one of the chairs, supporting his head in his hands. “A few days?” Landon shook his head as he got what he needed from the cabinet in the utility room. “Why didn’t you say anything?” “Was going to handle it myself.” Greg looked up, his lips pressed together. “Didn’t do a very good job of it, did I?” “No.” Landon worked hard to suppress the laugh that wanted out, despite the awfulness of the situation. He wetted down a cloth to clean up Greg’s face. “But this is not something you can handle on your own.” “Why not?” Greg didn’t even flinch when Landon started washing the scratches. “Because Ray apparently has an issue about running this place once I’m gone, and you’re the person he’s taking it out on. He won’t listen to anything you might have to say.” Landon sighed as he put aside the cloth and picked up the antibiotic ointment they used for smaller injuries, dabbing it onto the many small surface wounds, careful not to hurt Greg

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more than he needed to. “I’ll need to find out what his problem is then try to find a solution. We can’t let him get away with this.” Landon snorted as he finished treating Greg’s face and moved on to checking the bruises on his arms and body. They looked worse than they were, and all they’d need was some ice. The psychological fallout from being attacked by an elder brother you were supposed to respect and look up to would be harder to deal with. One thing was certain. Landon sighed as he got them both some iced tea and sat down for a minute. He wouldn’t be going away to college if he couldn’t figure out a way to help keep Greg safe. Family was a lot more important than his selfish need to get an education and become a social worker. After all, if he couldn’t keep the peace in his family, what good was he going to be at helping others?

**** Riverside, Texas Wednesday, September 9, 1999 Landon stared at the well-remembered yet, now, strange-looking buildings of Riverside High as he pulled up to the crowded parking lot. Not having been back since his graduation just over eight long years ago had given him some much needed distance. Or so he’d thought. Switching off the engine of his ancient but reliable truck, he leant back in his seat and took a deep breath. He’d been afraid of being reminded of lost chances, and that was exactly what was happening now that he was here. Staring at the red brick building—with its two square towers framing the middle part, and the first students pouring out on their way home— made his heart hurt. They still had their futures ahead of them. He felt like his had been over before it had ever had a chance to start. There’d been no choice once he’d realised how cruel Ray was. Their father was getting too old to run the ranch on his own, so Greg needed protection until he could take care of himself. Landon had stayed on, shelving his plans to go to college. Only, once Greg had graduated and gone to college to become a football coach, their father had disowned him since he wasn’t contributing to the family business. Landon’s income was needed to support www.total-e-bound.com

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Greg. So he stayed, never even hesitating. He couldn’t have been prouder when Greg had been hired by Riverside High as a junior coach three years ago. With a final sigh, he got out of the vehicle, locked it and started walking towards the main entrance. Once Greg was settled, Landon had started volunteering at the inner city shelter for abused women last year. His mother had suffered from his father’s mistreatment for so long before she’d killed herself six years ago, Landon wanted to help others in her situation before it was too late. He wasn’t sure the clerical work he did at the shelter was really helping, and it wasn’t what he’d wanted, but it was too late now to go to college and get the qualifications he needed to be a counsellor. “I’m sorry.” Greg’s voice pulled him out of the depressed haze he found himself in more and more often these days. “What?” Landon looked up, registering the fact he’d made it all the way into the building. How had he found his brother’s office without even trying? He’d not been here in a very long time. His brain must have been working on some level, even if he couldn’t recall the details. “About holding you back.” Greg looked at him from behind his cluttered desk and shrugged. “I don’t know, you’ve just got that look on your face again.” “That look?” Landon grinned as he sat on the edge of his brother’s desk, not wanting to trust the rickety-looking visitors chair with his weight. “You’re way too good at reading me.” “That’s what you get for sharing an apartment with me ever since Dad kicked me off the ranch.” Greg sighed. “I’ve been thinking, you know?” “Uh-oh.” Landon loved teasing Greg. “You can uh-oh me all you want, but I think it’s time you lived a little.” Greg closed the files he’d been working on and leant back in his squeaky office chair. “Lived a little?” Landon raised his eyebrows. “What’s gotten into you? I’m fine.” “I don’t think you are.” Greg shook his head. “Not really. I mean, you’ve settled into this life of ours, and I’m more grateful than I can say that you’ve been there for me all these years. But I think it’s time you started thinking of yourself—doing what you’ve always wanted to do.” “I can’t go to college now, Greg.” Landon sighed. “I’m not only twenty-six years old, Ray also needs me to help out on the ranch. Dad isn’t getting any younger.”

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“Will you at least think about it?” Greg took a deep breath. “I don’t think you’re too old to go to college, not if you really want to be a social worker. And I think you still do. Every time you talk about volunteering, you seem like a different man. Hell, when we went there last week to talk about me coaching some of the kids, you looked happy for the first time in I can’t remember how long.” “You’re right, I can’t deny that.” Damn it, he did still want to work with those who had nobody else to stand up for them. He just wasn’t sure he’d be the right person, since he wasn’t even able to make his own life work. So far, all Greg knew about was the professional side of it. Landon would die before he let Greg know about his attraction to men. “So, why won’t you do anything about it?” Greg tilted his head. “And don’t start talking about how the ranch needs you. Dad and Ray can damn well hire someone to help out. Okay, so they might have to hire two to replace you, since you work like an ox, but you know what I mean. You’ve more than fulfilled your obligations to them, if there even is such a thing.” “Do you really believe I should?” Landon hadn’t even let himself think about it lately. He’d be too disappointed if he got his hopes up only to be slapped down again. “Yes!” Greg sighed in that exaggerated way he used when he wanted to make a point. “Look, do me a favour. I need to run one last training session for the day at the stadium then I’ll come with you to the centre, as agreed. Why don’t you use that time to go over to the admin office and check out the college admissions information? Just have a look, okay?” “All right.” A look wouldn’t be so bad. “Great!” Greg beamed at him, clearly happy he’d agreed. “Why don’t you meet me at the stadium in about an hour?” “Okay, I’ll do that.” Landon rose as he listened to the directions Greg gave him. Walking through the corridors of his old school brought back more memories. Good ones, like the time he’d spent ogling the members of the football team. Bad ones, like the girls who’d been after him and hadn’t given him a moment’s peace. Or so it had seemed. And then there’d been Mrs. Walker, his civics teacher, who had encouraged his interest in working with those less privileged than himself. She was probably enjoying retirement by now, but he’d never forget her. Finding the admin office was easy, and he started grabbing folders and information about some of the colleges he remembered looking at before ‘disaster’ had struck. Mumbling www.total-e-bound.com

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something about a nephew when the lady at the desk gave him an odd look, he beat a hasty retreat, dumping the stuff on the backseat of his truck before making his way to the stadium. Shit, if the lady in admissions thought he was odd, what would the other students say? Or the professors for that matter? Joining Greg, who stood next to the track, encouraging each boy as they ran past, Landon grinned at how nothing had changed here at all. The cheerleaders were still training on the field, the track and field team was practicing long jumps, and the rest of the senior year boys seemed to be doing laps at the moment. There was a group of four that seemed to stick close together until the one black guy in the group took off at a much faster pace. The other three continued as before, with two of them chatting while the third seemed to just hang on. He was the one who drew Landon’s attention, though. He was slim, almost delicate, but carried himself with proud determination. His legs were long in relation to his body, and he was well-toned all over. Short, curly brown hair was blowing every which way as he ran, and it looked as if he had freckles. How cute was that? Landon shook his head and forced himself to look away. Shit, he was not going to start anything with a high school student. As adorable as the guy looked, he was probably no older than seventeen and that made him pure jail-bait. Didn’t stop Landon from watching him as he came closer, though.

Kendall had never really liked PE. He was just a little too scrawny to look good in exercise gear. On the other hand, Ben and Zeke, his close friends, looked really good in sports shorts. Neither of them was really winded, either. Harry just tagged along and Tim, the fifth in their group, had long ago left them behind, waving at them when he took off. He was definitely going to make one of the teams. Kendall, however, wasn’t made for team sports. No more so in his senior year than he had been in previous years. Still, he’d had to attempt it. Gaining his classmates’ respect was an important step in preparing for his role in society, never mind his chances of being accepted by the ‘right’ college next year. Even though joining a squad was clearly not going to happen, running and joining the debate team might be just as useful. “Come on, Kendall—you can do one more lap.” Greg Tully, the coach who looked hardly any older than the seniors themselves, did his best to support each and every one of

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them. He’d been the assistant coach for the last three years, but had taken over when the previous head coach had retired at the end of last year. Kendall nodded, trying not to wheeze too badly as he ran past his teacher. ‘One more lap’ was his new mantra. He’d do almost anything for this guy. Six feet of bundled energy and well-toned muscles was at least as motivating as the thought of becoming an architect and working for a major firm once he graduated college. He shook his head. Developing an almost-crush on his teacher—his very male teacher—was not a good idea at all. Coming around the bend for the final stretch, all his previous worries were forgotten. The Adonis now standing next to Greg made him stumble. Taller than the coach by a good two inches, wearing a very hot cowboy hat, his shoulders were broad, his chest well-muscled and his thighs simply drool-worthy. Kendall had recently discovered his love of male legs and—man—that guy must have sprung straight from his late-night fantasies. The tight jeans did nothing to detract from his enjoyment, and the black cowboy boots added a nice finishing touch. Tearing his eyes back up to the stranger’s face, Kendall noticed brown eyes twinkling with mischief as the man stared back at him. The very pronounced five o’clock shadow complemented the rugged look as the deep red lips pulled up into a dazzling smile. He resembled Greg when he did that, except he was leagues ahead in the looks department, as far as Kendall was concerned. “You all right?” Greg looked worried. “Yeah.” Kendall righted himself, flushing with embarrassment. “Like I was saying, I don’t think you’ll be joining the football team, based on what I’ve seen this afternoon.” Greg checked his clipboard. “But track and field could do with a runner like you, if you’re up for it?” “Sure.” Kendall nodded, not really focused on his discussion with the coach. He was far more fascinated with the small beads of sweat that had appeared on the stranger’s brow, despite the hat. They made tantalisingly slow progress down the side of his face. Kendall wanted to lick them off. “Okay, I’ll add you to the list.” Greg made a note. The soft scratching of the pen awakened Kendall from his lust-filled gaze. What the hell had he just agreed to?

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“Now that we’ve got that decided, I think you can take a well-deserved rest.” Greg grinned and slapped him on the back. “I’ve got a hot date with my brother and some inner city kids, so if you’ll excuse me…” No, no, no. This wasn’t good. He couldn’t let Mr. Gorgeous walk away from him. Tim was still running—the show-off. Ben, Zeke and Harry had already vanished in the direction of the changing rooms, but Kendall was feverishly trying to find a way to stay near Landon. “Inner city kids?” He took some deep breaths to calm himself down, hoping Greg and his brother would think he was still out of breath from the run. Which he was, just a little. “Yeah, sorry.” Greg pointed at his brother. “This is Landon. He volunteers at a homeless shelter for teenagers, and I help him run a fitness class and a couple of basketball games every Monday and Wednesday.” “Hi, Landon.” If Kendall’s voice went any higher, he’d sound like a girl. Shit. “I’m Kendall Gable.” “Nice to meet you, Kendall.” Landon held out his hand to shake. Kendall was totally unprepared for the heat of the man’s slightly calloused fingers. Tingles of excitement travelled up his arms and straight to his cock. The physical attraction was stronger than anything he’d ever experienced. He was in such trouble. Knowing what this meant, having suspected he was gay for a while now, didn’t make it any easier to accept. His struggle to be accepted by society at large had just encountered a major obstacle. Not that he stood a chance with this guy. He was not only way out of the man’s league, but Landon was probably straight as an arrow. Surely most—if not all—cowboys were? After what was probably way too long, Kendall remembered to withdraw his hand. Landon seemed hesitant to let go, or was that wishful thinking? Kendall almost snorted. He wanted to get to know Landon in the biblical sense, but there was no way in hell that was going to happen. Heck, the man was probably married and had several kids running around at home. “Are you interested in helping out?” Landon looked at Greg. “It is okay to ask, right?” “Well, we’d have to get his parents’ consent, but there’s no harm in checking if Kendall might be interested in helping us out at the youth centre. It might be good if the kids had someone closer to their own age to relate to.” Greg smiled at him. “And you might enjoy supporting the community, Kendall.” www.total-e-bound.com

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If it would enable him to spend time around Landon, he was ready to do pretty much anything. And supporting the community would look as good—if not better—on his resume than membership of a sports team.

**** Montrose, Houston, Texas Friday, February 9, 2001 Kendall had rarely been this nervous. He stood opposite the Rainbow Fun, staring at the entrance and wondering how he was going to find the courage to enter the gay club. Wanting to do it was proving to be very different from actually doing it. He sighed as he watched one hot guy after another make it past the bouncer. It may have been time to get over Landon, but somehow Kendall doubted he’d really fit in. What else was he going to do, though? Meeting other gay men wasn’t exactly easy, not even now that he was in college. Making a fresh start by no longer living at home wasn’t enough. Word about what he was up to might still make it back to Riverside, and he wasn’t ready to come out…not yet, anyway. His curiosity and need to experience what it was like to touch and be touched by another man was becoming overwhelming. Just the idea of finally following through had him half-hard. The crush on Landon that had started during his senior year and lasted until now had opened his eyes to the fact that he was most probably gay. Kendall snorted. Most probably was an understatement. He’d spent a lot of time volunteering at the youth centre back in Riverside, trying to get Landon’s attention. The man had been polite and they’d become good friends, but none of Kendall’s attempts to flirt had been successful. Supposing it must be his age had been his only consolation, but he’d never know for sure. Kendall had moved to Houston by the time he’d turned eighteen and had lost track of Landon. With a final sigh, he said goodbye to the idea of getting close to Landon—of making Landon his first as he’d once hoped. It was time to move on—quite literally—so he walked towards the club’s entrance, hoping his tight jeans and mesh shirt were going to make his somewhat scrawny body acceptable. He’d started working out a few months ago, but nothing much had happened yet. www.total-e-bound.com

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Kendall joined the line and got inside without a problem, feeling as though he was on display as he made his way towards the bar. The room was only semi-lit and he was grateful for the feeling of anonymity the darkness gave him. A large dance floor was to his right and small tables lined two walls. There was a hallway at the back and a long bar took up the wall to his left. The decorations were an interesting mix of Texas cowboy paraphernalia and what looked like BDSM tools such as floggers, whips and other items he had no intention of experiencing. A group of three older college students was to his right, all of them groping each other. It was very hot and his cock perked up when one of them winked at him. Farther to the right, a tall broad-shouldered man was sitting with his back to the dance floor while talking to the bartender. Short brown hair peeked out from under the black cowboy hat, his back was encased in a slightly too tight black T-shirt, and the ass visible on the stool was as droolworthy as the thighs that were displayed to great advantage by the man’s position. It was time to take a chance. Kendall took the stool right next to the attractive stranger, glancing at his face as he sat down. His jaw fell and he froze when he realised the gorgeous stranger was none other than Landon. “What the hell?” Kendall had to hold on to the bar to keep from falling over. “Excuse me?” Landon turned his head, the look of slight irritation at Kendall’s unusual opening line quickly morphing into one of utter shock. “Fuck!” Yeah, that about summed it up. Kendall took a deep breath, trying to calm his heartbeat. If this wasn’t the opportunity he’d been waiting for, he didn’t know what was. He still wanted Landon with a vengeance, so he had to make this work. “What are you doing here?” Landon looked around as if checking for an exit. “Same thing you are.” It was high time to go on the offensive. No way was Kendall going to let the man of his dreams walk out of here without getting at least a kiss from him…and hopefully a whole lot more. “Why Houston and this bar?” Landon frowned. “I’m studying architecture at the University of Houston.” Kendall tilted his head. “And this bar is well known amongst students. So, what’s your story?” “I…well, um…” Landon blinked, just stared at him. “I’m doing sociology there.” “You are?” Man, what a coincidence. www.total-e-bound.com

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“Yeah. I know I’m too old to go to college and all, but it’s the only way to become a social worker, really.” Landon looked at the floor. “I think that’s great.” Kendall couldn’t wait to invent reasons to ‘run into’ Landon on campus. Kendall would teach him not to be embarrassed. Landon just shrugged, clearly not convinced yet. The bartender put a new bottle of beer down on front of Landon, taking payment from him before looking at Kendall to check what he wanted. “I’ll have a Coke, please.” Damned drinking laws. He could do with a bit of liquid courage just about now. But he didn’t have a fake ID and wasn’t willing to risk a fine, driver’s licence suspension, community service…or worse. Landon raised his eyebrows and took a swig of his beer, emptying half the bottle in one go. Was this affecting the other man as badly as it was Kendall? He quickly lowered his eyes and had to suppress a grin when he noticed the definite bulge between Landon’s magnificent thighs. Yes! “So, do you want to dance?” Inane, scary and probably the wrong thing to say, but Kendall was desperate to feel Landon’s hands on his body and the man looked as if he was going to run at any moment. “I don’t dance.” Landon finished his beer and put the empty bottle onto the bar. “Just one dance.” Hell, all they needed was to sway to the music. Landon shook his head, but it didn’t look very convincing. The man also hadn’t moved an inch, even though he kept glancing at the exit every few seconds. “Please?” Kendall put all his longing into that one word. “I’m old enough now, if that’s what was stopping you.” “How did you…” Landon narrowed his eyes then started to grin. “That was very clever.” “Not really, but you have to admit you’re pretty stubborn and were very resistant to my attempts to get closer to you. I have to get my information any way I can get it.” Kendall was doing an internal victory dance. This was going a lot better than he’d expected. “I still think I’m too old for you, though, so don’t get any ideas.” Landon held out his hand. “But I have to admit you’re pretty much the only interesting guy in here. I like a man who talks before making an advance, and you are kinda cute. For a kid.”

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“Ouch.” That hurt. Yes, he was almost a decade younger than Landon, but what the hell? Why bring it up now? Unless, of course, the other man was expecting Kendall to really settle for this one dance. The more Kendall thought about it, the less he thought that was going to happen. But he could deal with that later. Kendall took the proffered hand and followed his dream man onto the dance floor. Sliding into Landon’s arms was even better than he’d imagined. And he’d fantasised about it a lot over the last seventeen months. Not that he’d been keeping track. Landon’s arms were strong and warm as he slid one around Kendall’s shoulders and the other around his middle. Mirroring Landon’s movements, Kendall embraced the other man, laid his head on the wide shoulder and closed his eyes as Landon pulled him closer. Thank God the song was a slow one, enabling him to enjoy every moment of feeling Landon’s hard body pressed up against him. The scent of the man’s spicy cologne, mixed with traces of soap and pure Landon, drifted into his nostrils and made him want to lick Landon all over. Kendall moved his head closer to Landon’s tempting neck and placed a careful kiss on the soft skin. Landon stiffened for a moment, and Kendall berated himself for risking everything, but Landon soon relaxed again. A few seconds later Kendall repeated the kiss, soon growing bolder and trailing a row of kisses along Landon’s jaw. Landon moaned and pulled Kendall close enough that he could feel his erection bump up against Landon’s. He almost came from the sheer excitement of being this close. Landon slid his hand down Kendall’s ass and ground his hips against him, making sure the contact provided all the pressure and friction possible. Kendall scrunched his eyes closed even more tightly and held on for the ride. Coming in his pants, in public, or very close to it, had not been what he’d planned. But who the hell cared? This felt way too good to stop. “Hot.” Landon’s voice was husky. “God, you’re so hot.” “Ungh.” Kendall was beyond words as he lifted his head. He’d never wanted a kiss as badly as this one. He had no idea whether he’d be any good at it, but he hadn’t been willing to practice with someone else, so he’d just have to find out now. Landon didn’t disappoint.

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His hot, soft lips claimed Kendall’s mouth—lock, stock and barrel. Landon licked along his lips, making him moan. Opening his mouth allowed Landon to push inside and the other man’s flavour burst onto Kendall’s taste buds when he welcomed Landon’s tongue inside. Slippery caresses followed, making Kendall want to scream with how good it felt. Waves of pleasure travelled straight from his mouth to his cock, making him harder than ever. If this was what it felt like to kiss, he couldn’t wait to do more. He might spontaneously combust, but what a way to go.

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Chapter Two

Landon couldn’t believe how sexy Kendall was turning out to be. Sure, he’d been attracted to him, despite his young age, ever since he’d first seen him at the Riverside High stadium. Kendall’s age had prevented Landon from even thinking about more, despite their many hours working and volunteering together. Now that Kendall was available and here, right in his arms? It seemed as if nothing was going to stop them from exploring their physical attraction. Certainly not Kendall. Having had the odd encounter with another man, most of them in this very bar even, Landon was familiar with the excitement of the somewhat forbidden, clandestine nature of his explorations. But this situation with Kendall was way beyond his level of expectation. Maybe it was because Kendall wasn’t some anonymous guy Landon would never see again, or maybe it was because Kendall threw himself into their kiss as if it was the only thing he’d ever wanted to do. His eagerness showed in the way he responded to Landon’s kiss, the urgency with which he pushed their bodies together. Hell, the hard erection that pressed into Landon’s groin was a very clear signal and a huge turn-on. Landon loved this level of enthusiasm. He tightened his grip, sliding his right hand down to cup Kendall’s ass. Kneading the taut muscle made Kendall moan and his tongue dance more enthusiastically, caressing Landon’s mouth in a frenzy of activity that made Landon respond in kind. If they didn’t take this somewhere a little more private in the next few seconds, he was going to royally embarrass himself by coming right here on the dance floor. While that wasn’t entirely unheard of, he didn’t want to do it to Kendall, especially for their first time together. The thought made him almost choke. Had he just assumed there was going to be a next time? Shit, he wasn’t ready for a relationship, coming out or anything else more permanent. He was struggling to make his life work as it was—he couldn’t drag anyone else into it. Now just as ignored by Ray and his parents as Greg, he could barely keep up his part-time job to pay for his college tuition. “What’s wrong?” Kendall had pulled back, a little frown on his face. www.total-e-bound.com

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“I don’t know if I can do this.” Landon couldn’t believe he’d said that. He had a gorgeous man in his arms, was seconds away from coming…and he was developing a conscience? Why now? He’d never worried about the implications of what he was doing here before today. Shit, this is about Kendall after all. He’s different somehow. “You must be joking.” Kendall’s frown deepened, turning angry rather than remaining puzzled. “Sorry, I just—” Landon tried to take a step back, but Kendall wouldn’t let him go. “Don’t freak out on me.” Kendall’s breath was still coming in little gasps. “I want this, and from your reactions so far, so do you. Don’t think about it, just go with it.” “I’m not freaking out.” Landon grinned when Kendall raised an eyebrow. “Okay, maybe just a little.” “I’ll be losing it in a minute if we don’t continue.” Kendall circled his hips in a most enticing way. Landon groaned. “You see?” It was Kendall’s turn to grin. “You don’t want to miss this. I certainly don’t, and I have no intention of letting you go now that I’m so close to having what I want.” Suddenly too aroused to think about what Kendall might mean, Landon looked around for a place to take this. The back wall was always a possibility, shrouded in darkness as it was. Or there was the bathroom, but neither would really do. “My car. Now.” Landon spent all of two seconds regretting that was the best he could offer. Kendall’s huge smile quickly reassured him that the younger man didn’t seem to mind. “Car sex!” Kendall stepped back a little so they could walk. “I like that.” Landon snorted as he led the way out of the club and into the parking lot. He’d thought he was too old for this, but Kendall’s enthusiasm spoke volumes. Maybe it would be hotter than he remembered? He’d only used his car for a hot make-out session once, when he was still in high school, and it had been quick and way too anonymous for his tastes. He shook his head as he unlocked the car and opened the back door for a still-enthusiastic Kendall to climb in. That was the discovery of the evening it seemed. Knowing the man he was about to ravish apparently made all the difference. Who knew? Following Kendall’s hot ass into the car, he closed the door behind him and sat down. Before he knew what was happening, Kendall moved into his lap, straddling his thighs and

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sliding his arms around Landon’s neck. Hot puffs of breath caressed Landon’s skin as Kendall moved his mouth close enough to kiss. “This is great.” Kendall planted small kisses along Landon’s jaw, all the way to his ear. He nibbled on the lobe, making bolts of pleasure travel straight from there to Landon’s cock. “Much better than the club for what I have planned.” “Yeah?” Landon had a hard time focusing on anything but the hot lips that were trailing a path back towards his mouth. “And what would that be?” “Seeing how fast and hard I can make you come.” Kendall brushed his lips along Landon’s. “Maybe trying a couple of different ways before the night is over.” “Fuck!” Landon’s hips bucked of their own volition, increasing the pressure on his erection as he collided with Kendall’s hard bulge. “Maybe.” Kendall pulled back, a small smile on his face. “Though probably not on the first date.” “That’s not what I meant.” Landon took a deep breath, trying to regain control. “I know.” Kendall’s smile widened. “Just couldn’t resist. Now, enough talking—on with the getting off.” Landon couldn’t believe how much Kendall’s dirty talk excited him. His cock was so hard, he knew it wouldn’t take much more to make him come. Time to make sure the mess was limited. He slid his hand between their heated bodies and fumbled Kendall’s pants open. Just as he was about to pull out the other man’s cock, Kendall reciprocated, opening Landon’s zipper and giving his cock room to breathe. “Oh, commando.” Kendall looked up at him with eyes practically glazed over with lust. “I like that.” Landon just nodded as he focused on freeing Kendall the rest of the way. When his hand closed around the younger man’s cock, Kendall hissed and started thrusting into Landon’s fist. He tightened his grip, making Kendall throw his head back as he stiffened and came. Hot spurts of semen flooded Landon’s hand. The feeling and scent drove him nuts and without Kendall doing more than holding his cock, Landon came. Waves of ecstasy made him shudder as he emptied his balls. “Wow.” Kendall collapsed against his chest. “Yeah.” Landon tightened his grip on his lover, enjoying the afterglow for a few seconds before practicalities would make him return to reality. www.total-e-bound.com

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Sitting there in the back of his car, a sweaty man—who was much too young for him to ever think about something more permanent—in his arms, made him feel happier than he’d been in a long time. What the hell had Kendall done to him? Why was he even thinking longer term? It wasn’t exactly something he’d ever considered before. “Let’s clean up.” Landon’s voice was surprisingly rough. Kendall flinched and pulled back, his eyes not meeting Landon’s. Landon swallowed. That wasn’t what he’d intended. The sudden shyness after all the guy’s previous bravado made him think. What if this was Kendall’s first time doing something like this? And didn’t he deserve a little more consideration even if it wasn’t? He was still pretty young, after all, and probably not half as cynical as Landon had become. “I just don’t want us to become too sticky.” Landon cupped Kendall’s cheek. “Once you get the tissues from the glove compartment for me, would you like to go for a late coffee somewhere? Unless you prefer me to drop you off at home?” “Okay.” Kendall looked up and the hope in his eyes floored Landon. “I would really like that a lot.”

**** Houston, Texas Wednesday, February 14, 2001 A few days later, as they met up in their new favourite coffee bar, Landon still wasn’t sure how he’d fallen into what looked like a promising friendship…with the occasional benefits. Their age difference didn’t seem to matter to Kendall at all, and even their different academic interests didn’t faze him. Rather than either difference being an obstacle, they only seemed to pique his curiosity. Kendall seemed very keen to learn all he could about a field that was so different from his. The significance of today’s date hadn’t escaped Landon, but he hadn’t really hesitated when Kendall asked for a meeting. There hadn’t been a hint of romance in his suggestion, and Landon was glad, since it was way too early to think about that. So why is romance all I seem to be able to think of whenever Kendall’s name comes up? Which is embarrassingly often.

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Was that the reason he’d quickly purchased a small box of chocolates at Chocolat du Monde this afternoon? Just in case? He shook his head as he sat down at a small table in the back. The seat afforded him a good view of the goings-on, not to mention the door. Waiting for Kendall was a first. So far, he’d always beaten Landon to their meetings. When he did walk in a few minutes later, Landon held his breath to stop himself from moaning. The man had taken tight jeans to a new level. Every single delicious ridge of his anatomy was outlined for all to see. The white T-shirt visible underneath the already opened jacket deserved the label fuck-me-tightness, and the promising grin Kendall sent Landon’s way before turning towards the barista to give her his order had Landon’s cock responding with embarrassing swiftness. Shit, this was getting ridiculous. Kendall walked over a few minutes later—his coffee in one hand, the other hidden behind his back. Landon hadn’t even noticed earlier, but it seemed that Kendall had thought to bring something as well. It was a first for Landon, and the sudden realisation that he may be heading for a full-fledged relationship with Kendall had his heart beating faster. “Hey.” Kendall put down his coffee, but remained standing. “Got you something.” “Hey back.” Landon grinned. At least he wasn’t going to be kept in suspense. Kendall handed him a white envelope that simply said ‘For Landon’ on the front. Landon took and opened it while Kendall sat down. Only the nervous twisting of the other man’s hands betrayed that he was nervous. Landon pulled out the card, the simple sunflower making him smile. There was a cheque for three hundred dollars inside, made out to Promises Kept. It was a shelter for homeless youth just under five miles from campus where Landon had started volunteering last September, as soon as he’d moved here. Landon looked up when Kendall cleared his throat. “I wasn’t sure what to get you. But I didn’t just want to do nothing. So, I thought you might like a donation to the place you chose to volunteer at here.” Kendall blushed and looked away for a moment before letting his gaze return. “Please, don’t be mad?” “Why would I be mad?” Landon put the cheque down on the table and took one of Kendall’s shaking hands in his, squeezing it for comfort. He really wanted to hug him for his thoughtfulness and generosity, but that would have to wait until they could make it to a more private setting. www.total-e-bound.com

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“I don’t know.” Kendall shrugged. “Even though we’ve sort of known each other for a while, we’ve never said we’re in a relationship. I wanted to, and I still do, but I’m not sure about you. So I thought I’d start with something I’m pretty sure you’re not going to reject.” “This is an incredibly generous gesture.” Landon smiled. “And very romantic in its own way, because you’ve been thoughtful enough to come up with something which means a lot to me. Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” Kendall looked a lot less stressed now. “I’ve got something for you as well.” Landon reached for the small box he’d put on the chair next to his to hide it from view. “You have?” Kendall’s eyes widened and he started bouncing in his seat. “Really?” “Yeah.” God, he was glad he’d thought of it. The joy radiating from Kendall’s face was worth it. “I hope you like it.” He handed Kendall the box and watched the younger man rip the paper off. Kendall gasped and looked up. “That is awesome. I love chocolate.” Kendall looked like he was about to jump up and hug him. “I seemed to remember you do.” Landon smiled. “Thank you so much.” Kendall put the small box onto the table and looked at it lovingly. “Best Valentine’s gift ever.” “Yeah?” Landon’s heart jumped. Kendall was just too cute. He felt himself falling for the younger man, and that could only mean trouble in the long run. His chosen career didn’t allow for a boyfriend, and Kendall’s youth meant he probably wasn’t ready to settle down anytime soon. There was no way this could become more than casual. “First one, actually.” Kendall blushed again and took a sip of his coffee. “Cool.” Landon tried very hard not to sink deeper, but the thought of being Kendall’s first in other areas than a Valentine’s gift had him hard enough for it to be painful. Casual or not, he was going to go for it for now. He’d deal with the fallout as and when that became necessary. Hopefully not for a long time! They finished their coffee in silence, but the heated glances boded well for after-coffee activities. Quickly agreeing to meet at Landon’s apartment, since Kendall shared his dorm room, they made their way there in separate cars.

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As soon as Kendall walked into his home, Landon slammed the door closed and pushed Kendall up against the wall. Lowering his head so he could kiss those tempting lips, he ground their groins together in a move that was fast becoming one of his favourite activities. Certainly one that both he and Kendall enjoyed a lot. “Want you.” Kendall’s eyes were hooded with arousal, his breath came in gasps and his hand was shaking as it slid under Landon’s jacket and shirt to caress his back. “You have me.” And wasn’t that the truth. Kendall slowly sank to his knees, nuzzling into Landon’s groin once he’d arrived. Landon groaned, turning around so his back was to the door. If this was going where he hoped it might, he’d need all the support he could get. When Kendall opened the button then the zipper and pulled out Landon’s hard cock, he couldn’t stop himself from moving into the hot touch. Kendall grinned, took the hard shaft into his hand and bent forwards to lick off the clear drops pearling on Landon’s cock head. “Mmm…” Kendall kept licking. Landon closed his eyes when Kendall took the tip of his throbbing cock into his mouth. Moments later, he forced them open again. He didn’t want to miss the view—even if it was guaranteed to make him come much faster. Seeing those luscious lips wrapped around his cock was just perfect. “Shit, that feels good.” Landon grabbed Kendall’s shoulders as the younger man started to suck on his cock in earnest. Bobbing his head as he provided more suction than Landon could resist, Kendall hummed. Landon groaned. Kendall cupped Landon’s balls, squeezing slightly and that was all it took. Rising to his toes with the power of his orgasm, Landon came into Kendall’s mouth with spine-tingling intensity. Seeing the younger man close his eyes as he swallowed, seemingly enjoying the experience as much as Landon, almost made him come again. Kendall pulled off Landon’s cock and licked his lips. Moments later he pushed his hard erection against Landon’s leg and started shaking with his own release. Shit, that was sexy. How the hell was he supposed to look at this as merely temporary?

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Kendall was trembling with aftershocks, unable to control his need to keep pushing his groin against Landon’s shin. He couldn’t believe how hard he’d come just from sucking the man’s cock. Never having done it before, the total eroticism of having the hard, yet silky shaft in his mouth had driven his arousal higher than it had ever been. The speed with which he’d come was embarrassing, though. But hiding his face in the man’s groin would only work for so long. “That was so hot.” Landon caressed Kendall’s head. Landon left a tingling feeling behind wherever he touched Kendall’s scalp. It was a great sensation, and Kendall leaned into it, wanting the touches to never stop. Imagining them all over his body had him half-hard again before he knew it. “It was?” Kendall blushed. Landon was probably just being nice. “Sorry about the mess.” “Hey, look at me.” Landon pushed a finger under his chin, forcing him to look up. God, those deep blue eyes were just shining with emotion. “I loved what you did to me, but I’m floored that it got you off as well.” Landon grinned. “It was one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen.” Kendall swallowed. He couldn’t speak. Landon thought he was sexy? Maybe there was hope for more after all, despite his total lack of experience. Sure, he’d watched some gay porn—who didn’t?—and he’d played with a dildo. But that was nothing like real life. The feelings alone were very different…never mind that he was now facing Landon, whom he had admired from afar for so long. “Come on, we’ll put your clothes in the laundry. I’ve got a dryer, so they’ll be fine in a few hours.” Landon held out his hand and pulled Kendall up. “Gives us time to see what happens when we try this on a flat surface.” That sounded too good to refuse, so Kendall followed Landon into the bathroom, taking off his clothes and handing them to his host in a crumpled heap through the half-open door. After a quick shower to rinse off, he wrapped a towel around his middle and walked out into the bedroom. “Better?” Landon lay back on the bed in his underwear. His light skin was a great contrast with the dark blue of the linen. His broad chest with large nipples and only the lightest dusting of hair was a sight to behold.

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“Much.” Kendall licked his lips. Was it possible he wanted Landon again? His cock was already half-hard, so he’d go with a ‘yes’. “Ready for more?” Landon’s provocative grin said it all. “Always.” Kendall stepped closer to the bed. Landon held out his hand then pulled him down. Full-body contact from feet to chest was the immediate result. Kendall moaned and pushed closer, ending up half on top of his lover. Landon didn’t seem to mind. He slid his arms around Kendall as if he wanted to stop him from running. “Laundry’s being dealt with.” Landon smiled. “I’ll put it in the dryer in a little while. But, until then, I’d like to return the favour you did me in the hallway.” Kendall nodded so hard, he was sure his head would fly off if he didn’t stop. “You like that idea?” Landon kissed a path from his jaw down his neck. “No need to ask.” Kendall panted for breath already. “Who wouldn’t like a blow job?” “True.” Landon nodded. In a sudden move, he turned them around so he was on top and proceeded to kiss and lick his way down Kendall’s chest and abdomen until he’d reached Kendall’s by now leaking cock. Slow licks from the base to the tip made Kendall arch his back. The first time Landon enclosed the swollen cock head with his lips, Kendall moaned. And when Landon moved his mouth down to take him into the hottest place Kendall’s cock had ever been, Kendall lost it and bucked his hips. Landon didn’t even hesitate. He took all of Kendall in, and the tightness of the other man’s throat around his sensitive tip drove Kendall’s arousal high enough to put him right on the edge. “Gonna!” Embarrassing though it was to come so fast, Kendall couldn’t hold back. It felt too good. Landon increased the suction and Kendall lost it. Screaming his delight, he shot into Landon’s willing mouth, feeling him swallow around his throbbing member. When he came down from his high, he pulled Landon up, took his stiff cock into his hand and started jacking him off. No way was he going to leave his lover high and dry. It took mere seconds before Landon shot his load, shaking with his orgasm as he bit Kendall’s shoulder. “God, that was good.” Landon pulled back, grabbed some tissues off the nightstand and cleaned them up before he pulled up the blanket. www.total-e-bound.com

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Kendall could only nod, still feeling the last quivers of his release race through his body. “Nap time, huh?” Landon was already half asleep, one arm around Kendall’s middle. “Then we can play some more.”

**** Kendall woke up when the first rays of the sun hit a room that wasn’t immediately familiar. The warm body against his back was strange as well. He looked around, memories of last night and the nap they’d intended to take slowly surfacing in his sleep-fogged brain. Relief flooded him when he realised this was Landon’s bedroom. He smiled and closed his eyes again, cuddling back into Landon’s embrace. It was all good. In fact, last night’s explosive sex had been better than good. Falling asleep and staying the night hadn’t been what he’d planned, but it wasn’t as if he minded. He’d been dreaming about being with Landon for a long time and all he could feel was happiness about it finally happening. He should probably get up, but six a.m. was no time to leave a warm bed. His first class wasn’t until nine anyway, so there was plenty of time to cuddle. He was about to drift back into sleep when Landon suddenly tensed. Kendall turned around to look at his lover. Landon’s eyes were still half-closed, there was a frown on his face and he still hadn’t moved. “Good morning.” Kendall didn’t like the continuing silence. “Hmm.” Landon lifted a hand to rub his face. “Too early.” “Yeah, I’m not a morning person, either.” Kendall was afraid it was more than that. Had he outstayed his welcome? “Didn’t expect you to still be here. I put the laundry in the dryer for you to take out after the nap.” Landon blinked, his lids looking too heavy for the sleepy man to hold open. Yep, he should have left before Landon woke up. God, he didn’t want to leave…didn’t want his dream to end like this. The pain in his chest was intense, but he’d known there was a risk of Landon not wanting to go beyond the physical. The odd encounter in a club or a quick fuck in the hallway was apparently okay. Not that they’d done much in the week since they’d reconnected, but there had been a few meetings. None of them had been a real date…well, maybe the coffee bar meeting last night had been. Staying the night was a www.total-e-bound.com

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definite sign of something more, though, and it looked as if Landon wasn’t ready—or willing—to go there. Shit, he hoped he hadn’t ruined everything. “Don’t worry, I’ll go.” Kendall turned around to get up. Landon mumbled something before he fell asleep again. Kendall couldn’t understand a single word, so he shrugged and went to the bathroom to do his business then he retrieved his clothes from the dryer and got dressed. He gave the softly snoring Landon a last longing glance. The man was more than gorgeous, even cuddled into the pillows like this with his short, brown hair all mussed, sticking up every which way. Kendall tore himself away and made his way outside, calling a taxi since it was too early to take the bus. He had no idea how he made it back to the dorm, but when he did, he couldn’t even sleep. The turmoil he was in kept him awake, staring at the ceiling, until it was time to go to his first class. That day seemed longer than most, and by late afternoon he’d worked himself into a total panic. He’d planned to meet Landon at Promises Kept, to see how he could help. Volunteering together would have been great, giving them something in common, but Kendall wasn’t so sure it was a good idea under the circumstances. He was too afraid of rejection. At least if he didn’t go, Landon wouldn’t be able to tell him no. And wasn’t that the coward’s way of looking at things. Not Kendall’s usual approach at all, but everything had always been different where Landon was concerned. Apparently, that hadn’t changed. “What’s wrong with you?” Fox, his roommate, looked up from his book. He was a second year lit student and did more reading than was healthy. “Huh?” Kendall dropped his bag and flopped onto the bed. “You look like—I don’t know—something really bad happened?” Fox pushed his much too-long bangs off his face, something he only did when he was interested in what the other person was saying. “Sort of.” Kendall needed to shower and change so he’d make a decent first impression with the centre manager, but he was lacking the energy right now. “You want to talk about it?” Fox tilted his head. “Not really.” Kendall didn’t even know where to start. He hadn’t told Fox he was gay, so dumping his issues on the other man wasn’t fair. “Okay.” Fox nodded and turned back to his book. “Let me know when you’re ready. I’ve always found sharing boyfriend issues makes them seem less serious.” www.total-e-bound.com

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“Boy…boyfriend issues?” Kendall was glad he was already sitting. “Yeah, that is what’s troubling you, right?” Fox looked back up from his book. “I have no idea what else could have you so depressed all of a sudden, seeing as your GPA is already in the stratosphere.” “But…but…” Kendall didn’t normally stutter, but this was too much. How the hell did Fox know he was gay? “But what?” Fox grinned and leant back in his chair. “How did you know?” Kendall was too flabbergasted to even care that he’d just admitted Fox was right. The guy didn’t seem to have any issues, so he was probably safe. Fox just raised his eyebrows. “That obvious?” Kendall shook his head. “I’ll have to be more careful. I guess being away from home has made me let go just a little too much.” “Nah, you’re not very obvious at all.” Fox shrugged. “Takes one to know one, you know?” “Oh.” Kendall swallowed. A gay roommate, how cool was that? “I had no idea.” “Some people have no gaydar.” Fox grinned. “Mine works really well, though.” “Okay.” He’d have to remember that, in case he needed a new boyfriend if Landon rejected him after all. “So, you want to talk about it?” Fox leant forwards. “I’m a really good listener.” “And really curious.” Kendall laughed. “I’m okay for now…not sure what there is to talk about at this point. But I might get back to you, depending on how tonight goes.” “Sure.” Fox nodded and turned back to his book. “I’ll be here.”

**** Kendall made his way to the shelter for homeless youths with a heavy heart. It was less than five miles from campus, so it didn’t take long. He knew full well that he wasn’t going to pull out of his obligation to volunteer—Landon or no Landon. While it wasn’t a real obligation in the sense that he’d signed anything, he felt morally liable. He’d settled into a routine at college, so he had the time, and he’d been so fortunate in terms of his life’s circumstances, he felt the strong need to give something back to those who struggled. But

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knowing he’d run into Landon—and fearing the worst—had taken a lot of the joy out of the activity. “Welcome to the centre.” An older woman dressed in a pants suit and carrying a clipboard greeted the new arrivals with a big smile. “We’re happy you all made it to today’s introductory session and look forward to exploring the different options with you. As you know, we have a number of programmes, and we want to make sure you find one that suits your talents and availability.” Kendall nodded. That made sense. These people were definitely a lot more organised than many shelters he’d seen. He was familiar with tasks in the areas of intake, the crisis shelter, and he’d even done some outreach work. But Promises Kept also had a mentoring programme for youths wanting to get into work, a wide range of activities for young people so they could have some fun, and also tutoring. Kendall was too young for the mentoring programme—they wanted experienced professionals over twenty-five for that—but tutoring was right up his alley. Clerical services were always in demand so he put his name down for those as well. Landon was nowhere to be seen until the necessary last few minutes of the introduction. Granted, he already worked here and probably didn’t want to listen to everything again, but Kendall had missed him. He didn’t even know if they’d get to work together. “Hey.” Landon walked up to him after the centre manager had taken down their names, details and agreed activities. He looked handsome even in faded jeans and an old navy T-shirt. The serious expression on his face didn’t bode well, though. “Hi.” Kendall’s heartbeat sped up at the sight of his gorgeous lover…friend…whatever he was now. “We need to talk.” Landon gestured towards the parking lot. “Do we?” Kendall didn’t feel like following the man into a car again. He wanted to keep the memory of what they’d done there last week unspoiled. “At least let me buy you a coffee?” Landon unlocked his car without waiting. “Okay.” Why the hell not? If he was going to get dumped, he might as well do it in style. They drove to the coffee bar in silence, ordered their coffee and wordlessly took seats at their favourite table. Kendall sipped his coffee and waited for Landon to take the initiative. www.total-e-bound.com

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He wasn’t going to make it easier on the man if it killed him. And, judging from the way his heart was trying to jump out of his ribcage, that was a distinct possibility. “It’s not going to work.” Landon bit his lip, but didn’t look away. “I’m really sorry it won’t, but being a social worker or counsellor means I can’t be openly gay. It’s too risky. A lot of employers here in Texas wouldn’t even look at me if I came out. Either that, or they’d kick me out of the programme before I’d be able to open my mouth to defend myself.” “And those are the type of people you want to work with?” Kendall’s heart hurt, but he wasn’t going to let it show. “I have no choice.” Landon looked down and wrung his hands. “I wish it was different.” Yeah, well, that made two of them. Without another word, Kendall got up and walked out of the coffee bar. Not looking back was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he wasn’t going to give Landon the satisfaction of seeing the tears that were silently running down his cheeks. Fuck it all to hell! He still had no idea what had gone wrong. One minute he and Landon were exchanging Valentine’s gifts, followed by a very hot sexual encounter—the next, Landon had completely withdrawn. The pain was worse than it had ever been, even when he was still in high school. At least then he hadn’t known how wonderful they could be together. Now the loss of what he’d had and would never have again weighed him down. It would take a long time to get over, and he wasn’t at all sure he’d even manage to ever do so. Only time would tell.

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Chapter Three

Riverside, Texas Saturday, November 22, 2008 Landon got out of his ancient car and stretched. Every muscle ached despite the fact that the drive from Houston had only been just under two hours. It was from the combination of his father’s death yesterday and the knowledge that he’d have to face Ray at Monday’s funeral, maybe even before. While he hadn’t been close to his father in many years—hell, they hadn’t even spoken since Mom’s funeral—his death still hurt. As for Ray? He hadn’t even thought it necessary to call Landon to let him know their father had wrapped the car around a tree when coming home drunk on Friday night. Greg had found out from the police and passed on the message. Landon sighed as he got his overnight bag out of his trunk and made his way to Greg’s front door. The little blue house with its white shutters and neat front yard was as well maintained as it had always been. The wraparound porch might not be much use in November, but sitting outside and watching people while sipping lemonade had entertained him and Greg on many occasions when the weather was warmer. His visits hadn’t been frequent, but he remembered each one fondly. Coming back now wouldn’t make for happy memories, but maybe he could find some closure. “Welcome!” Greg had opened the door before Landon’s knock. “I’m so glad you could make it this quickly.” “Hey, little brother. Missed you.” Landon dropped his bag so he could hug Greg. “And I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.” “Well, you’re welcome here anytime, you know that.” Greg stepped aside to let him pass inside after he’d moved his bag into the hallway. “I hate the reason you’re here, and this visit isn’t going to be much fun, but I’m hoping to talk you into moving back to Riverside eventually.” “You always try.” Landon smiled, settling on the sofa.

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“Yeah, and I think it’s about time you make it happen. But I’ll get back to that later.” Greg sighed as he got a beer from the kitchen, offering it to Landon before sitting in one of the easy chairs. “First, we have to deal with the funeral on Monday morning then the reading of the will in the afternoon. Not to mention seeing Ray again.” “You haven’t seen him, either?” Landon downed half his beer, the cool liquid refreshing him as it slid down his throat. “Fuck, no. I haven’t even run into him since our last fight at Mom’s funeral.” Greg swallowed. “I hate to admit this, but in a way it’s a relief we can close that chapter of our lives permanently once all this is over.” “You don’t want to try to reconcile?” Landon didn’t really expect Ray to apologise, and that was the only way he’d consider getting back in touch. But if Greg wanted to try to patch things up, he wouldn’t stand in his way. “No way!” Greg looked furious. “He’d need to show some remorse first, and based on the fact he didn’t even call me himself to let me know about our father’s death, I’m not holding my breath.” “I know what you mean.” Landon shook his head. “I have no idea what I did that made him so angry.” Greg looked sad, even a little bitter. “I mean, really. He was the one who beat me up, not the other way around. You stood up to him, so I can see why he’s angry at you. But all I did was become a coach rather than a rancher.” Landon still hated Ray for treating his little brother the way he had. Sure, he may have wanted to make sure the ranch was all his, but surely they should have been able to talk about it? Lots of families dealt with children having to share an inheritance. God, being here and dealing with this shit was going to be harder than he’d expected. He discarded his halfempty beer bottle. No way was he going to turn into his father. Getting drunk wasn’t a solution. He needed to stay sober and support Greg. “I don’t know what to say.” Landon swallowed the lump in his throat. “No need to say anything. You’ve always been here for me, and I really appreciate that. We’ve made it without the bastard so far, and that isn’t going to change.” Greg smiled. “So, we’ll get through this together and then I want to talk to you about moving back here.” Landon groaned.

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“I’m serious this time.” Greg frowned. “You’re the only family I have and I’m fed up with never seeing you. Just so you know, I’ve decided that I can always move to Houston and get a job there if you don’t want to come back.” “You’d do that?” Landon sat up. “Really?” “Yeah, sure.” Greg grinned. “I’ve got a good job here, but there are high schools in Houston that need coaches, too. I happen to think that Riverside could do with another good social worker. There’s a big need for youth counselling. Not everyone even makes it to high school, where we can reach some of the endangered teens. Too many just live on the streets. There are some rumours about the inner city developments including better support for the homeless, but I’m not sure how realistic those are. I’d love to talk to you about that, see what you think can be done. Who knows—seeing that your abilities are needed may change your mind about staying. Failing that…sure, I’ll move. There’s nothing to stop me.” “No girlfriend to keep you here?” Landon tilted his head. “No.” Greg looked serious all of a sudden. “What about you? Have you finally found Mr. Right?” “No.” Landon wasn’t going to talk about the fact that he’d found him but had been too stupid to hold on. And anyway, Kendall had moved back to Riverside once he’d graduated four years ago, so if anything, that was another reason to stay away from Riverside. Running into him now would just be too painful, since he’d never be able to make it up to him after all this time. “What a fine pair we make.” Greg chuckled. “At least we have each other.” Landon couldn’t have wished for a better brother than Greg. He’d gone from needing protection when he was younger to being a loving friend in recent years. Greg was the only person Landon had felt comfortable enough with to come out to, and Greg’s actual reaction hadn’t disappointed. Greg’s acceptance and support had been unwavering. Having each other definitely helped them get through Sunday, when they went to the ranch to see if there was anything they could do to make amends. Instead of talking, Ray closed the door in their faces after threatening to call the police if they didn’t stay off his land. The funeral on Monday was quiet with very few people attending. Ray behaved himself, even if him totally ignoring them raised a few eyebrows.

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Landon was glad when it was over. Seeing his father’s casket lowered into the ground made a lot of memories come back. Good ones, from when he was younger, and bad ones from more recent years. It made him think about the relationship they’d had, and he again felt the rejection by a person who should have loved him unconditionally. He wondered, not for the first time, what he’d done to deserve his father’s wrath. Now he’d never know. Saying goodbye like this also made him realise that a large part of the reason he’d left Riverside was his father’s lack of acceptance, and that had been without the man knowing Landon was gay. He hadn’t been willing to face the rejection on a daily basis, and he certainly hadn’t wanted to see what his father would do if he knew Landon was gay. But now that he was gone? Maybe Greg was right and it was time to stop running and reconsider. A few hours later, he knew it was time. The reading of the will hadn’t been a real surprise. Landon hadn’t expected to inherit anything, and neither he nor Greg did. The ranch and everything associated with it, which was all their father owned, went to Ray. What had made him mad was Ray’s sneer throughout the proceedings. It was almost as if his brother felt he had won a personal victory of some kind. “Ray thinks he’s the better son because he stuck around and that we don’t deserve any of Father’s hard-earned money.” Greg had snagged them a table in the Front Porch, an up and coming bar near the city centre. “Well, he’s welcome to it.” Landon had no intention of contesting the will. “Dad never wanted us to share his life, so I’m not going to fight for a share of what he’s left behind.” “Same here.” Greg stared at the menu. With their orders out of the way, Greg took a sip of his beer then looked up. “How long can you stay?” Greg looked hopeful. “A week for now.” Landon’s boss had been incredibly generous about giving him personal time. If Landon had been less secure, less certain that he was good at his job, he’d suspect the woman wanted to get rid of him. “That’s hopefully going to be long enough to convince you to move back here.” Greg frowned. “Unless Ray’s little display of arrogance has managed to chase you away permanently?” “Hardly.” Landon snorted. “No?” Greg tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. www.total-e-bound.com

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“On the contrary.” Landon leant back in his seat, beginning to relax. “It’s made me think that maybe it’s time I stop running.” “Yay!” Greg’s smile could have lit up an entire city.

**** Riverside, Texas Wednesday, November 26, 2008 Thanksgiving preparations were in full swing, with Landon in charge of making salads while Greg was dealing with preparing the stuffing and stowing all the extra food they had inexplicably felt compelled to buy. Even though there was only going to be the two of them, the kitchen looked as if they were preparing to feed an army. Landon frowned when his cell phone rang and the name of his boss appeared on the display. He hadn’t expected her to call at all while he was off on personal time. What could she possibly want? “Elaine? What can I do for you?” Best to go on the offensive. “Hi, Landon.” She cleared her throat. “I hope you’re okay?” “Getting there.” Landon shook his head. This was very odd. “I’m sorry to bother you during your time off. But an opportunity has come up, and I need to talk to you about it before you return to Houston. Seeing as it’s the long holiday weekend, unfortunately, that means today.” Elaine sighed. “This is pretty important, so I really hope you’re going to say yes.” “I’ll need to hear what it is first.” He wasn’t into making unsubstantiated promises. “Sure, sure…I get that.” Elaine laughed. “You’re nothing if not conscientious, which is why I’d like you to accept this project.” “Project?” Now she had his full attention. He’d been mostly focusing on counselling for so long that he’d almost forgotten the excitement of other aspects of his work. “It’s a great opportunity, which has come up quite unexpectedly. We’ve talked about expanding our programme, and now we have a real option to do it. I just found out there’s a major city renewal project going on in Riverside, in an area just south of the city centre.” She rustled with some papers. “Ah, here it is. The city council, or at least some of its members, www.total-e-bound.com

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would like to improve the facilities for the homeless as part of an effort to clean up the inner city streets. They’re hoping to improve property values and attract more businesses. They have looked at several charities and have made up their minds that Promises Kept is the most suited to what they’re looking for. Apparently, the commercial side of the plans is quite advanced, but so far there has been a lack of proposals from charities or other organisations which could help with the social aspects of the project.” “Interesting.” He was beginning to see where this was going. “Do you know why the focus has been more on the business side of it? Other than the obvious reason of the interest in making money being higher than the interest in bringing about social change? Is there something we need to know?” “I’m not sure. It’s always possible there are some behind-the-scenes interests or struggles for power.” Elaine sighed. “You know what it’s like. Cleaning up the streets sounds good but making it happen—at the cost of city income—is much harder.” “That’s what I was afraid of. Not that it’s new and surprising.” He hated that improving lives was so low on most decision-makers’ agendas. “This brings me to the reason for my call.” Elaine took a deep breath. “I’ve spoken to the other board members and we’d like you to be our front man in Riverside. You know the town, possibly even some of the people involved.” “It’s been a long time, Elaine. I don’t know if anyone will even remember me.” Never mind in a positive light. “I understand…believe me, I do.” She sighed. “I wish you weren’t so hesitant. You have a real talent for dealing with people, when you put your mind to it. And having someone who knows the city—a ‘local man’—may be just the edge we need. It’s also a lot better than sending someone who doesn’t know the town and would have to spend precious time familiarising themselves with the location and the people involved.” “That sounds like it might be a tougher situation than usual.” Landon sat up. Maybe that was what he needed—a challenge. “The bidding will probably be fierce, since the area is one of the most attractive in the city. Currently, there is only one lot left in the area. If a homeless shelter or similar project doesn’t make it, the renewal will have to depend on shops and other businesses.” Elaine laughed. “Maybe it wouldn’t endanger the council’s project, but you and I both know it

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would be a lost opportunity to make a real difference. So, we have an edge in terms of the moral high ground, and some real support from the city council.” “That definitely sounds interesting.” Staying on for a project like this would give him the opportunity to experience Riverside as it was now—see if he liked it, without having to make the full commitment of moving back. Make sure I can stay away from Kendall. He snorted. As if they’d even move in the same circles anymore. From what he’d heard—Greg not being able to shut up—Kendall was an ice-cold career man now, working all hours of the day and night. There was no danger of their paths crossing. “You’ll do it?” Elaine whooped. “Thank you so much, that’s such a load off my mind. You know what the big boss can be like once he’s up on his soapbox. Helping save young people everywhere is in his blood, and he won’t rest until we have a branch in every major city in Texas.” “That’s a long way to go.” Landon chuckled. “I’m totally with him, don’t get me wrong. I’m just not quite so fanatical about it.” “Few people are.” Elaine laughed. “So all we can do is conquer Texas one city at a time.” “Okay, got it. Email me the details and I’ll get right on it on Monday.” He’d probably have a little look around the area before then. It couldn’t hurt to be prepared by getting a feel for the place and knowing what was happening on the ground. “There’s a council meeting about the inner city cleanup project on Monday afternoon. I’ll send you the details. It would be great if you could attend.” Elaine sounded very relieved. “Thank you so much. I’ll make sure your clients here are notified and taken care of by someone else for the time being.” “Appreciate it.” Landon looked at his watch. It was time to get back to chopping green stuff for the salads. “I’ll email you any questions and will probably talk to you on Monday, after the city council meeting.” “You do that. Thank you again, and Happy Thanksgiving, Landon!” “Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.” He closed the phone and leant back in the small kitchen chair, catching his mental breath. “That is the best news ever.” Greg came over and slapped his shoulder. “I’m so happy you’ll be around for a little longer.” “You don’t mind?” Landon looked up into the grinning face of a clearly happy Greg. www.total-e-bound.com

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“Mind? Hell, no, I’m ecstatic.” Greg smiled warmly. “What could be better than you living here again, just like old times?” “Except money won’t be so tight.” Landon smiled. This was shaping up to be one of the best Thanksgivings ever.

**** Riverside, Texas Monday, December 1, 2008 Landon sat in the central waiting area of the city council meeting rooms, staring into the grandiose reflection pool. The entire city council building was extremely well maintained, conveying an air of wealth and prosperity. There were plants and fresh flowers everywhere and no trace of the more usual run-down atmosphere he’d seen in some of Houston’s municipal buildings. If this ‘perfect image’ was what the city’s tax income went towards, he wasn’t surprised the homeless in Riverside had a hard time of it. The quick research he’d done, based on Elaine’s initial information and his own wanderings around the centre and southern areas, had left him somewhat depressed. The state of the buildings was one thing, but that wasn’t the worst problem by a long shot. A lot of the buildings were already being restored, repaired or torn down to make way for replacements. The streets were being resurfaced and some low-cost housing was being built. If he believed the billboards, a few businesses were investing in the area as well. The real problem, as was so often the case, was what would happen to the people who were currently using the dilapidated buildings as the only available roof over their heads. He’d spoken to several of them, and although Promises Kept focused on young people, it had become clear to him that there was a bigger problem across all age brackets. Not only in terms of physical needs not being met, but also regarding the entire attitude towards the homeless. Unfortunately—and in most cases, unfairly so—Texas wasn’t known for being open-minded about people who were ‘different’. Whether it was lifestyle or physical abilities that set people apart, they often didn’t have an easy time of it anywhere, but what he’d seen in Riverside was considerably worse than the national average. Worse even than in the rest of Texas. www.total-e-bound.com

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Few things got him as upset as bigoted narrow-mindedness and he’d seen that in spades. Where facilities were available, there was a subtle, but obvious bias to providing for those who fit the image of a mainstream person in trouble. It was hair-raisingly stupid to even divide needy people into categories like that, but all the members of the ‘minority disadvantaged’ had confirmed it to him. Had anyone ever heard of something as ridiculous as a two-class minority system where some minorities were now suddenly better—more worthy of help than others? How stupid was the human race becoming? Well, he was going to put a stop to this dumbing down if it killed him, at least here in Riverside. He grinned when he realised how much his attitude had changed in the last week. Not only was he no longer willing to run from people like Ray and his own memories, he was now ready to charge forwards in a very visible way. When the doors to the meeting room finally opened, dispersing the previous meeting’s attendees into the big hall, he was ready. He got up and walked inside, taking a seat at the big round meeting table close to the window. Three official-looking types walked in right behind him and took seats across the table. Two of them he recognised from the city council website pictures, the third carried several files and deposited a large paper notebook in front of her. She then busied herself with distributing pens and making coffees, using the professional looking machine in the back corner behind the door. She was clearly an assistant of some kind and would probably know more about what was really going on than the two council members put together. When everyone had more or less settled down with their drinks, introductions were quickly made. The older gentleman in a dark suit and sporting a bald spot turned out to be Mr. Basil Cabbert, the council member in overall charge of the inner city renewal project. The woman in the blindingly bright yellow pants suit was Christine Vance, a junior council member entrusted with the task of community liaison—which apparently included the businesses and other bidders that were hoping to invest. The woman in charge of the coffee was Mary Neal, and, as he’d suspected, she was the council assistant. “Are we ready to start?” Mr. Cabbert looked around and frowned. “I was expecting the representatives of the architect, maybe even the developer to be here as well.” “Ambrose & Quinley just called.” Mary brushed imaginary lint from her fluffy blouse. “They apologised about being a few minutes late due to traffic.”

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“They really should have planned better.” Mr. Cabbert shook his head. “It’s not like Riverside even has that much traffic.” Landon suppressed a grin. His rivals not making a good first impression might work to his advantage later on. He wasn’t proud of feeling this way, but he’d take all the help he could get to make this work. Seconds later there was a commotion at the door, and in walked two extremely expensively dressed men. One was older and wore glasses; the other made Landon almost spit out the sip of coffee he had just taken. What the hell was Kendall doing here?

Kendall was still trying to calm down as they walked into the austere city council meeting room. His stupid boss had insisted on finishing his second glass of wine after a lunch that had been far too sumptuous for his tastes. Yes, being awarded the bid for the new recreation centre in north Riverside was excellent news, but couldn’t they have waited with the celebration until after the city council meeting? It wasn’t as if the feeling of triumph and accomplishment would have been any less if they’d had a celebratory dinner instead. But no—Mr. Allysdair Ambrose had insisted. Now they were late, something Kendall hated with a vengeance. He took a quick look around the table to familiarise himself with the other attendees of the meeting, not expecting much to have changed in terms of the opposition they were facing. So far, everything had been smooth and all decisions had gone their way. His gaze wandered along the faces as he filed away the names of those present. Nothing new here. Until he’d gone almost full circle and looked at the people sitting next to the windows. He froze in his tracks as the shock made his breath stop. Fuck! “Landon?” His voice shook, his heartbeat sped up and he was even more mortified when he realised he’d spoken out loud. Landon sneered. “I beg your pardon?” Mr. Ambrose turned around and stared at him. “Is there a problem?” “N-no problem, sir.” Kendall swallowed. Twice. What was the man of his dreams, the one whose rejection still hurt, doing back in Riverside? Wasn’t he supposed to be in Houston www.total-e-bound.com

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working on some charity project or other? Hiding his true nature by pretending to be straight? Counselling other people while fucking up his own life—and Kendall’s—by making stupid decisions? Kendall could have kicked himself. Coming face to face with Landon again made him realise he was still hung up on the guy, even after more than seven years of painful separation. Well…painful for him. Landon didn’t look any worse for wear, except for maybe a few more wrinkles that he wore well. Damn it. Stop this! “Well, let’s get going then.” Mr. Ambrose took a seat, ignoring the looks of annoyance from some of the council members. The man didn’t even think it necessary to apologise for holding everyone up. Kendall sat down next to him, wondering how much longer he’d have to put up with this man being in charge of his career. He might be a junior partner now, but nothing much had changed in the way he was treated. The additional money, bigger office and half a personal assistant were all nice trappings, but he still didn’t have the creative control he craved, nor could he really pick his own projects and clients. Paradoxically, senior partner had never seemed farther away than since his promotion. “This meeting will come to order.” Mr. Cabbert, the council member in charge of the inner city renewal project, banged his gavel and assumed his usual air of importance. An expectant silence descended on the room. “Please close the door, Mary. We don’t want to be disturbed…now that everyone is finally here.” Mr. Cabbert rifled through the file in front of him while the young woman next to him got up and closed the door, frowning the whole time. Kendall suppressed a grin. Not that Mr. Ambrose would even notice the rebuke—it was much too subtle to reach the stubborn man—but there was some satisfaction in knowing that there were other people who valued punctuality. After outlining the objectives of the project, each of the interested parties had a few minutes to explain their goals, how they saw themselves contributing, and make comments about the overall situation. There wasn’t anything new until Landon spoke up. “My name is Landon Tully, and I am here to speak on behalf of Promises Kept. We’re a growing national charity that serves suffering children of the street, and aims to protect and safeguard all children. As you know, homelessness is a growing issue all over the country www.total-e-bound.com

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and hits people unmindful of social class, belief or race.” Landon looked at the somewhat stricken faces of the meeting participants. “We are about more than profiling ourselves or making an extra buck. We care about the vulnerable members of society, and few are more vulnerable than kids.” There were a few nods around the table and Kendall was tempted to join them. How could Ambrose & Quinley’s client, a regional chain of supermarkets, possibly be more important than providing shelter for children and young people? From the corner of his eye he could see Mr. Ambrose’s scowl, probably because his boss saw their chances of landing their client a big plot, the last one going, dwindle in front of their eyes. But really, wasn’t saving a few lives and improving others more important? He’d found himself hanging on every word Landon uttered. Damn, but it was easy to fall under the man’s spell again. Not that Landon even noticed—he’d avoided looking in Kendall’s direction since the very first meeting of their eyes. It was almost as if he was embarrassed to look at Kendall. “How do you intend to do this and what sort of a facility do you envisage?” At least Mr. Cabbert seemed honestly interested. “Given a lot, we would build a shelter. In line with our mission, services will be offered to all youths who seek help, with a priority for those for whom no other service is available. We will make every effort to reunite kids with their families and will collaborate with community agencies and associates.” Landon smiled. “What we do in Houston, where I have worked in different capacities for the past seven years, includes walk-in services, a residential programme that includes shelter, clothing and educational support, health and HIV case management, counselling and pastoral care, and the teaching of life skills via a mentoring programme.” “Very impressive.” Mr. Cabbert nodded. “It fits nicely with our objective of cleaning up the streets and offering community services as well as commercial opportunities and jobs.” “And the good news is that a shelter like this offers jobs as well.” Landon’s smile widened. “While the majority of our staff consists of volunteers, there are quite a few positions for qualified medical personnel, counsellors and administrative staff.” “Very well. That was a very thorough introduction. Will you be available for further consultations over the next few weeks, as we progress the project?” Mr. Cabbert had asked

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the other attendees the same question, but since all of them were residents of Riverside, it had been pretty clear there wouldn’t be any issues. “Of course.” Landon smiled and looked straight at Kendall. “I have temporarily relocated here and will be available as long as necessary.” Kendall sank back in his chair. The shock had left him shaking all over. Landon had moved back here? It might be temporary, but even that was going to be hard to adjust to. Or maybe not. After all, Landon might not be interested in talking to him. Just like seven years ago after they’d parted ways. The increasing noise level in the background alerted Kendall to the fact that the meeting was over and people were leaving. Mr. Ambrose was already gone, on his way back to the office for sure. Most likely he was expecting Kendall to be hot on his heels… Except he was glued to his chair, trying to decide between outrage at Landon’s gall to just walk back into his life like that—as an official enemy, no less—and unmistakable joy at seeing him again. Damn, but the attraction was still there. Even though he’d had a few relationships, none of them had gone beyond casual. No other man had ever made him feel so much. No other man was Landon. He finally looked up when he realised the room had gone quiet. Landon was right there, still in his chair, still looking at him. Shit, but Landon was gorgeous. “So, would you like to go for a coffee?” Landon didn’t move a muscle, as if he was afraid Kendall would run. He almost did. That question brought back so many memories it wasn’t funny. “Why?” God, why hadn’t he just said no? There was no point in opening old wounds. The truth, however, was that he was curious. He wanted to know what had happened to Landon, how he was doing. It was totally pathetic, but deep down he still hoped they might get back together. “I just… I’d like to talk to you.” Landon looked lost all of a sudden. “About what?” Kendall wasn’t going to make it easy for the man. “We can’t exactly talk about the inner city project, since we’re on opposite sides.” “Well, I don’t think that is the only thing we can talk about, is it?” Landon frowned and started putting his sparse paperwork into a messenger bag. www.total-e-bound.com

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“I need to get back to the office first.” That wasn’t really an answer but Kendall was too confused to figure out what he wanted. And he always needed to get back to the office. “Okay.” Landon’s shoulders slumped. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t meet later.” Kendall couldn’t bear to see Landon so sad, knowing he had done that. It made him stop and think. Was he really that important to Landon? “I just need to talk to my boss about our strategy for this.” “Are you sure?” Landon closed his bag and got up. ”I don’t want to pressure you, but I haven’t seen you in so long and I’d like to catch up. I was hoping we could forget about the past and make a fresh start.” “Yeah, I’m sure.” Even though that sounded more like an offer of friendship than what Kendall had been hoping for, it was a step in the right direction. At least they’d be talking again. Pathetic! “Okay, great.” Landon beamed at him as he grabbed his coat. “Where do you want to meet? Is the Front Porch still around?” “It sure is.” Kendall grinned. “That bar has more lives than the proverbial cat. It changes ownership on a regular basis, but the building and the customers seem to be constants.” “Great.” Landon slipped on his coat and walked to the door. “Seven okay?” “Seven is fine.” Kendall watched Landon leave. What had he just agreed to? He’d have to wait and see.

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Chapter Four

“Would you mind telling me why you’re late?” Mr. Ambrose stood in Kendall’s office door and glared at him as if he’d just admitted to killing someone, if not worse. “Late?” Kendall shifted some papers on his desk, trying to look busy as he worked on getting his brain into gear. “We have a meeting with the team from the Parker account—or did you forget?” Mr. Ambrose frowned as he checked his watch. “And you know they don’t like to be kept waiting.” “Sorry.” Kendall had to bite his tongue to stop himself from commenting on the fact that Mr. Ambrose’s need to be punctual was very sensitive to the perceived importance of whom he was meeting. Apparently it was okay to be late where a whole group of people and the city council were concerned, but not when a medium-sized client was interested. “Yeah, well, just make sure you’re there as fast as possible. I’ll go ahead and schmooze them while you do whatever it is you’re doing.” Mr. Ambrose turned on his heel and marched towards the elevators. Ouch. It wasn’t good to annoy the boss. Kendall picked up the file and drawings he needed and raced after Mr. Ambrose, trying to catch him before the elevator got there. Having made it, he focused on slowing down his breathing and remembering the pertinent details for this meeting. He needed to be sharp and prove he was worthy of being a junior partner. Not to mention starting to show that he was good enough to become a senior partner one of these days. Perhaps not strangely, based on his observations of who got promoted and who didn’t, that seemed to require more talent in the area of office and client politics than ability. They walked into the meeting room—Kendall one step behind so Mr. Ambrose was visibly in charge—and greeted the clients. A father and son team, they seemed to be having a great time flirting with Amy, Mr. Ambrose’s very young and very blonde secretary. Kendall tried not to be prejudiced, but Amy was just so stereotypically empty-headed, it was a wonder she managed to hold on to her position.

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“Mr. Parker, sorry to keep you waiting.” Mr. Ambrose shook hands with the older Parker then the son. “Oh, no problem at all. We’ve been taken real good care of by your beautiful Amy here.” Mr. Ambrose winked at the woman before turning back to Mr. Parker. “But I must admit to being awful curious about your design for my new family residence. So let’s kick off this meeting, happy hour isn’t going to wait on us.” Kendall almost groaned. The man was an insufferable alcoholic, which he only barely concealed. Always scheduling meetings around the next opportunity to drink, be that a long lunch or an early evening drink to ‘celebrate the end of the work day’, it was a wonder he remained sober enough to run his meat processing business. Or maybe it was actually his son who did the real work? Not that the younger Parker got any credit for it if he did. Kendall sighed as he spread his drawings on the big meeting room table for Mr. Parker to inspect. He knew what would happen, after all. Mr. Ambrose was going to pretend it was his work they were discussing…unless Mr. Parker didn’t like it. In that case, it would all of a sudden be Kendall’s fault. “Oh, I like this.” Mr. Parker bent over the papers, peering at the intricate art deco designs. “Very nice.” Yep, it was going to be Mr. Ambrose who took credit for the design. Kendall’s presence was now a mere formality and he could take notes on autopilot. Kendall switched off his work brain, going back to wondering whether meeting up with Landon tonight was such a good idea. He was in no doubt that he was going. After all, he’d promised that he would. But the expectations he had, or didn’t have, would decide how he’d approach the situation. He almost chuckled. He was already in way over his head. Landon had always had this effect on him, making him stupid and giddy like a teenager. It was both exhilarating and frustrating to find out that hadn’t changed. Setting himself up for failure wasn’t what he wanted, but it seemed he had no choice. Not going wasn’t an option. And once he was there, he was pretty sure he’d fall under Landon’s spell again. Sensing a change in the flow of conversation, he returned his full attention to the meeting, taking notes of the changes Mr. Parker wanted. There weren’t many and the meeting was soon finished. www.total-e-bound.com

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“Ready for that drink?” Mr. Parker leant back in his chair and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Kendall was horrified. The man seemed to forget there was a no-smoking law in effect. “Sure.” Mr. Ambrose rose. “If you’ll follow me, we can leave the boys to deal with the details.” Thank God he wouldn’t be required to attend this evening’s session. Meeting up with Landon was far more important. “Unless you want to join us, Kendall?” Mr. Ambrose turned around at the last minute and looked at him. “No, that’s okay.” Nonchalant was the way to go. “I have a prior commitment.” “Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Mr. Ambrose left with Mr. Parker in tow. Kendall breathed a sigh of relief, sent Parker Junior on his way and quickly tidied up. He had a date tonight, the first one of any importance in years. He couldn’t wait.

**** The Front Porch bar, what Kendall remembered of it, still looked the same as it had however many months ago when he’d last been here. Comfortable booths lined two walls, and a big bar plus a large area for more tables took up the remaining space. Apparently, the simple snacks and finger foods they’d begun serving a while ago had become popular. Landon sat at a table in the back, nursing a beer and looking slightly lost. Kendall walked up to him quietly, taking in the sight of the man who still made his heart beat faster so many years later. “Hi.” Kendall stood next to the table, suddenly unsure of what to do. Landon looked up, a smile spreading across his face that made him look years younger. Then he seemed to rein himself in and became serious again. “Hey.” Landon waved at the seat across from him. Kendall didn’t want a confrontational feeling to this, so he sat kitty corner instead. Landon raised an eyebrow, but his expression morphed into a smile. The waiter, some college kid trying very hard to keep up with orders, raced past their table, nodding when Landon waved. Kendall hoped they could get their drinks orders in quickly. His throat was www.total-e-bound.com

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suddenly too dry for comfort. If sitting close to Landon did that, what was going to happen once they started talking? “So, we’re not going to discuss our work?” Landon leant back and folded his hands on the table. “I don’t see what would be the point.” Kendall crossed his arms. “We’re on opposite sides and only one of us can win. Let’s leave it at that.” “Is that how you honestly see the situation?” Landon’s eyebrows rose. “What other way is there? We both have a job to do, and I’m sure we’ll both do our best. If you want to use this opportunity to find out what I’m planning, I’ll leave.” Kendall couldn’t bear the thought of Landon trying to use him like that. But what the hell did he know? The man was as good as a stranger after all this time apart. “I can’t believe you’d think I’d do that.” Landon shook his head. “This is about so much more than our jobs, but if you can’t see that, there’s no point in talking about it. And anyway, you’re right—it’s not what we agreed.” The waiter chose that moment to approach their table, hand them their menus and pull out a dog-eared notepad that had seen better days. Kendall made a quick mental note to get back to this idea of the bid being about more than their jobs. He had no idea what Landon was getting at, but he had a feeling it was really important for him to understand. If they were still talking to each other after tonight. “What can I get you gentlemen?” The kid wiped his brow and tried very hard to smile. “I’ll have another Bud, please.” Landon focused on the menu. “Just water is fine for me.” Kendall wanted a clear head for this. The kid took notes. “Would you like to order your food as well? The kitchen is already quite busy, so if you’re hungry, it’s probably better to order sooner rather than later.” The kid shrugged. “Just thought I’d warn you. It can get pretty hectic, even on a weekday.” “Sure, if you know what you want?” Landon looked at Kendall. “I’m not fussy.” Kendall checked the menu while Landon gave an order for nachos followed by a cheeseburger. There were a lot more choices than snacks and finger foods on there now. They even had some healthy options. “And you, sir?” The kid turned his attention to Kendall.

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“I’ll have the mixed garden salad and the shrimp stir fry, please.” Even though he really wanted the burger, he didn’t have much time to work out and wasn’t going to risk gaining weight. “Very healthy.” Landon grinned as he returned the menu. The kid took Kendall’s as well and hurried towards the kitchen. “Yeah, well, I try.” Kendall didn’t want to talk about his health concerns. He forced himself to relax so he could focus on their conversation. He couldn’t wait to find out what Landon had been up to. “Let’s get back to why we’re here. Tell me what you’ve been up to and why you’re here in Riverside. You said this afternoon it was temporary?” “You’re still not one to beat around the bush. I must admit I always liked that about you.” Landon grinned. “Nothing much has changed for me professionally. After getting my degree in sociology, I took a few extra courses and got licensed as a social worker. Promises Kept had always been good to me while I was a student, and I liked their way of working, so I applied for a full-time job once I had my qualifications. Not much else to tell, really. I’ve been working hard to make Houston a safer place for homeless youth and never really thought of returning to Riverside until last week.” “What changed?” Kendall watched the waiter bring their drinks and downed half his water in one go. “My father died in a car accident, so I came back for the funeral.” Landon looked lost for a moment. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Kendall was embarrassed, not knowing what to say. “It wasn’t as if we were close.” Landon shrugged and took another sip of his beer. “In fact, we haven’t spoken since my mother died.” “But he was still your father.” Kendall couldn’t imagine losing his parents. He’d always got along with them, although he suspected that might change if he ever told them he was gay. Not that this would stop him, but it was a consideration. The point was moot until he had a boyfriend to bring home, anyway. “Yes, he was.” Landon nodded. “And it did hit me harder than I expected, but, luckily, my brother Greg was there to help me through it. We pretty much supported each other.” “What about Ray? Did he finally come around?” Kendall vaguely remembered Ray not being a very nice brother, but things could have changed over the years. He was also curious about Greg, his one-time high school sports coach. www.total-e-bound.com

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“Ray is still the same old asshole he used to be when we grew up.” Landon laughed, but it was a strained sound. “He ended up inheriting the ranch, just like he wanted. Dad left Greg and I nothing. Not that we wanted anything, but it’s still a strange feeling to be so obviously excluded.” “I bet it was!” Kendall shook his head. “It’s not really fair, either. You stuck around for so long, you should have got something.” “The point is that I didn’t want anything. Neither did Greg. Our father ignored us while he was alive, there’s no reason why we should expect this to change now that he’s dead. Ray is welcome to the ranch. Neither Greg nor I want anything to do with it.” Landon finished his first beer and put the bottle aside for the waiter to pick up. “So you just made a clean break?” Kendall liked that. It took courage to stick with your convictions, especially when money was involved. He frowned. Shit, he wanted to be like that, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to let go of his well-paying job if it meant doing what was right. And didn’t that make him feel like he’d sold out to the establishment? “Yep, sure did. And it feels right.” Landon breathed a sigh of relief when the waiter walked up to their table and deposited their starters in front of them. The next few minutes were spent quietly eating. Kendall munched his salad, almost regretting he hadn’t ordered something more substantial. “You want some of these?” Landon pointed at his cheese-covered nachos. “I can’t imagine that salad to be very filling.” “It isn’t, you’re right. I didn’t order it to be filling, though. I am trying not to gain weight.” And why had he blurted that out? His cheeks heated with embarrassment when Landon grinned. “Aren’t we all? But you look too hungry to stick with your principles. And I promise not to tell anyone.” Landon winked and shoved the half-full plate towards Kendall. “Come on, live a little.” “Why not?” He could always go for a run in the morning. Right now, nothing seemed more important than showing Landon he wasn’t a complete stick-in-the-mud. The nachos tasted better than he’d thought possible. He had a hard time suppressing his moan when the cheesy goodness flooded his taste buds before sliding down his throat and filling his stomach much more effectively than the salad had.

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Landon just grinned and kept pushing the plate back towards him every time he tried to return it. Their main courses soon followed and it was his turn to talk about what had happened in the last several years. He was embarrassed by how little there was to tell. Other than finishing his degree, getting a good job and his first major promotion, nothing had happened in his life. Though he didn’t tell Landon in so many words, the difference between Landon really helping people who needed the support and Kendall’s attempts to make money staggered him. Landon didn’t seem to mind and hung on his every word. The subject soon changed, and they were talking about current events, music and what they were reading. It was almost as if nothing had changed. When Landon’s knee bumped his leg and the other man didn’t move away, shivers of excitement travelled up Kendall’s spine. He’d known that he was still attracted to Landon, but was it possible it went both ways? It would be so easy to fall back into old patterns of behaviour, but Kendall was determined not to let that happen. He didn’t want to be hurt again, and there was no way this could end well. As tempting as it was to give in to Landon’s more than obvious attempts at flirting, he couldn’t give in. Not only were they on opposing sides of the table in their professional lives, Landon was planning to return to Houston once the project was over and Kendall would be left behind. “Penny for your thoughts?” Landon’s gaze was intense. “Um, sorry, I guess I’m tired.” Kendall pushed his empty plate away and forced himself to stop his lustful thoughts. “I’m sorry to have kept you.” Landon’s shoulders slumped. “It was just so good talking to you again. Much better even than I had imagined. And I’ve spent a lot of time imagining this, and more, over the years.” “What?” Kendall’s heart started beating faster and his stupid cock perked up. Was it possible that his dream was about to come true? He could practically sense his brain switching off and his heart taking over. “Yeah, I’m interested in getting back together. I’ve missed you like crazy and wish I’d never let go of you. I made a big, stupid mistake and I’ve regretted it ever since. I’m more sorry than I can say and will do anything if you could just give me another chance. I want to pick up where we left off and see where we can go together, as a couple.” Landon held out his hand, palm up. “Please?” www.total-e-bound.com

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Kendall was shaken to his core. He’d dreamt of hearing these words, but now that Landon had spoken them, he didn’t know what to do. After a few moments, his hand seemed to move towards Landon’s almost of its own accord—as though he was on autopilot. The warm skin to skin contact made him sigh. Nothing had ever felt as good as Landon touching him. How could he possibly say no?

Landon held his breath. He’d just laid it all on the line, despite the many obstacles he knew they’d face. Somehow, none of them were as important as feeling Kendall’s skin against his own, seeing the other man look at him with admiration again. Hell, at this stage, he’d take friendship rather than the professional detachment of the last few hours. “But…” Kendall‘s voice broke and his hand in Landon’s trembled. Kendall still hadn’t moved other than to speak that word. Not even the deer-in-the-headlights expression managed to make Kendall less attractive, though. He hadn’t grown much in height—was still just under six feet tall—but his shoulders were a little broader than they had been. His skin was as pale as ever and the freckles Landon had loved so much were still as prominent as he remembered. Added to the high forehead, it gave Kendall that look of ‘strong nerd’ that Landon found irresistible—the one he had looked for in all his meaningless encounters with anonymous men over the years, but never quite found. Kendall looked at him with his deep green eyes, and he was a goner. They were pools of emotion, the proverbial window to the other man’s soul, and Landon wanted to drown in them. If what he saw there was true, he might stand a chance. “I’ll beg, if that helps.” Landon would go down on his knees if he had to. He’d made few mistakes in his life, and none that he regretted as much as being an ass about his relationship with Kendall. “I just…” Kendall took a deep breath and stilled his shaking hand, but didn’t pull back. “Okay, I admit I don’t get it. Aside from the professional obstacles, which we could probably work around, and the fact that we haven’t even spoken to each other in almost eight years, what about the reason why we couldn’t be together? Has that suddenly gone away?” Landon flinched. He’d been such a monumental idiot. “Yes, the bit about not being able to be openly gay because you’re a social worker.” Kendall’s lips twitched and his eyes were suspiciously bright. www.total-e-bound.com

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Landon stopped breathing for a moment. Regret for what he’d done to this wonderful man overwhelmed him. If Kendall still looked so hurt after all these years, Landon couldn’t even imagine what it must have been like in the beginning. “I was stupid.” Landon swallowed. “You mean you were wrong?” Kendall’s eyes widened. “No, that isn’t what I mean.” How was he going to explain this? How did anyone ever explain utter stupidity and short-sightedness? “Well, not totally. I was right about saying that it was a big risk, definitely more so back then than it is now. Coming out is still likely to cause problems, but two things have changed since then. One is that I have a good job with a decent employer who has an openly inclusive employment policy. The second difference is that, even if that weren’t the case, I wouldn’t care. I had convinced myself that I had no choice, but it was really more about my fear than reality.” “Wow.” Kendall blinked. “Is that a good wow or a bad wow?” Landon held his breath. “This is really important to you, isn’t it?” Kendall shook his head a little, as if to clear it. “I’m sorry, but I’m having a little trouble adjusting to this new situation.” “I understand.” If Kendall needed time to think about it, Landon would give it to him. Anything to avoid a ‘no’ from the man he was beginning to realise could very well be the one he loved. Scratch that…he knew he loved Kendall. He’d tried to ignore it for so long, it was hard to change tracks all of a sudden. But seeing him again had broken through the walls he’d put up to protect his heart. “Do you?” Kendall tilted his head. “I’m not saying I understand how you feel, I couldn’t possibly know that. But I do understand that this is all very sudden and that you may need some time to adjust. Hell, it’ll take me a while to let it all sink in…you know, that it’s real now and not a dream.” Landon squeezed Kendall’s hand. “As long as you don’t turn me down, I’ll be patient.” “I don’t think I could turn you down, even if I wanted to try.” Kendall ducked his head. “I probably shouldn’t have told you this, but I’m a little overwhelmed.” “I’m glad you told me. My heart has just started beating again.” Landon sent a quick prayer of thanks to whoever was listening. It looked as though he’d get his second chance. “Oh, good.” Kendall looked up, the cutest little grin on his face. “Wouldn’t want you to expire now that we’re finally back together again.” www.total-e-bound.com

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“We are?” It was his turn to do the ‘deer-in–headlights’ impersonation. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment for too long not to give us a chance.” Kendall smiled. “Nobody knows I’m gay yet, but I have no problem with coming out…now that I have a reason.” “You don’t have to, not on my account.” Landon was more than willing to give Kendall time to see what happened and think this through. He may have been sure about his feelings, but that didn’t mean Kendall was. “Yes, I do!” Kendall’s eyes widened and his nostrils flared. “Unless you want to keep us a secret?” “No way. I’m ready to tell the world. But I’ll do whatever you think is right. I’ve made one monumental mistake regarding our relationship already. I figure it’s time to let you take the lead. And even if that means being quiet about our relationship for a while, until you’re sure, that would be fine, too.” Landon was about to let go of Kendall’s hand as the waiter approached to clear the table, when he realised what he was doing and forced himself not to move. The ball was in Kendall’s court now. Kendall grinned and entwined their fingers. The waiter raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything. Moments later, the used dishes and silverware were stacked and the waiter was ready to leave. “Would you like coffee or a dessert?” The waiter’s tone was polite, if a little less friendly than before. “No, I’m fine, thanks.” Landon turned to a beaming Kendall. Seeing that look on his hopefully soon-to-be lover’s face was worth any effort. “What about you?” “Nothing, I’m fine as well, thank you.” Kendall grinned. Landon asked for the check and the waiter promised to be right back. They sat in silence as they waited. It was a good silence, full of promise. After Landon paid, they got up and he regretfully let go of Kendall’s hand. Even as happy as he was with Kendall’s reaction, there was no need to provoke anyone by holding hands or other gestures that were too obvious. He was ready to come out, but he wasn’t ready to behave stupidly and risk everything. Once they arrived at the parking lot, he hesitated. He didn’t want the evening to end, but he had no idea what he should do next. He’d never dated, so he wasn’t quite sure what the rules were, but in the end, this was Kendall and he wanted to do what was right for him. www.total-e-bound.com

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“So…your place or mine?” Kendall grinned from ear to ear. “That easy?” Landon’s cock had gone half-hard just hearing those words. “Why complicate things?” Kendall shrugged. “Haven’t we had enough confusion in our lives? I think it is time we cut to the chase.” “I’m all for simplifying things.” Landon wished breaking out into a victory dance, including loud whooping, wasn’t so undignified. “Since I’m staying with my brother, it might be a good idea to use your place? Just, you know, for privacy’s sake?” “I hear you.” Kendall laughed. “I wouldn’t want my old high school coach to listen in on our activities.” “Activities, huh?” Landon grinned. “Yeah, I’m having a hard time not shouting for joy as it is.” Kendall pointed at a midsized sedan parked in the corner. “That’s my car. Do you want to follow me?” “Sure, no problem.” Landon retrieved his keys from his pocket. “Just make sure you don’t lose me.” “I live in the north. Here—let me give you my address, just in case.” Kendall wrote on a small piece of paper he’d pulled from his coat pocket and handed it to Landon. “See you there.” The drive wasn’t very long, and yet it seemed like the longest Landon had ever undertaken. Joy was warring with apprehension, and the closer they got to Kendall’s home, the more nervous Landon became. They’d had great sexual chemistry before and still seemed to get along very well, once they’d agreed to ignore the professional side of their lives. But what if it all fell apart as soon as they were alone? There was only one way to find out, and he wasn’t backing away. The stop Kendall made at a little strip mall on the off-ramp of their exit was a surprise, but when Kendall waved at Landon to stay in the car, he did. Minutes later Kendall emerged from the pharmacy, clutching a small brown bag and looking everywhere except at Landon, his face beet red. It took a few seconds for Landon to catch on, but when he did, he laughed out loud. That was just adorable, and it was great to know that Kendall had thought to get supplies. One—because it meant he wasn’t involved with anyone. Landon almost slapped his forehead. Neither of them had even thought to ask. But more importantly, because it showed that he was as serious about the physical side of their relationship as he was about the rest. They’d never gone the whole way before, but apparently that was on the menu now. www.total-e-bound.com

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Landon couldn’t wait. He pulled into the parking lot of a well-maintained condo complex. Kendall got out of his car, locked it and led the way inside. Landon was in a total daze, following Kendall blindly. He vaguely noticed a large entrance hall featuring a lot of glass and shiny chrome, a flight of stairs that seemed endless but was quickly crossed, and a secure apartment door on the second floor, which opened only after Kendall had fumbled with the key for much too long. By the time they made it inside the apartment, he was so aroused he was ready to hump Kendall’s leg to get off. Shit, but that was an undignified thought. Kendall seemed to be in no better shape, though. Without a word, Kendall grabbed his hand and pulled him down a hallway, into what he presumed was the bedroom. Landon only had seconds to look before Kendall grabbed his coat lapels, turned him with his back to the wall and pushed against him, bringing their groins into contact and almost making him squeal. Kendall rose to his toes and Landon bent down so they could kiss. The meeting of lips set off little explosions of arousal and need all over Landon’s body. As if he wasn’t hard enough, the jolts travelled straight to his cock, inflaming his desire further. Kendall’s tongue entered his mouth and he forgot to breathe. His lover’s taste was intoxicating, as were the strokes of his agile tongue. Landon opened willingly, letting Kendall take what he needed. Hips grinding into each other, they kissed as if the world was about to end. Landon grabbed Kendall’s ass cheeks, pulling him even closer. Landon whimpered as his approaching orgasm made his balls contract. He tried to pull back, to yell a warning…something…to no avail. Kendall wouldn’t let him move. With a sigh he gave himself over to the sensations and let go. Within seconds he bucked his hips wildly and he came, jerking as he made a mess in his pants. He couldn’t have cared less. Pleasure travelled from the tip of his cock up his spine and made his entire body shudder. Kendall followed, his scream muffled as he buried his face between Landon’s coat and sweater. Landon held on to him for all he was worth. When they were done, he was still a little shaky and—much to his surprise—still hard. Kendall hadn’t stopped rubbing against him and his cock had apparently decided it hadn’t had enough yet. “Naked. Bed. Now.” Kendall was still gasping for breath as he stepped back. www.total-e-bound.com

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Landon nodded. He couldn’t have agreed more but lacked the ability to speak. Luckily, his body knew what to do and he was naked in record time. When he looked up, Kendall stood next to the bed, facing him, gloriously naked. Landon took in the slim body, well-toned muscles and light dusting of chest hair. But the focus of his attention was on the very erect cock Kendall was stroking. It had a flared head and a thick, veined staff that looked to be at least seven inches. Kendall’s pubic hair was trimmed, and his heavy balls hung low, completing the picture. God, but he wanted Kendall inside him. He could practically feel the stretch as he watched Kendall stay ready by pleasuring himself. The man was too sexy for words. Landon reached out to him and Kendall smiled. “Come here, sexy.” Kendall opened his arms. Landon walked straight into them, and the skin to skin contact along his entire body made him sigh with pleasure. He wanted more, so he gave Kendall a slight push until he fell back onto the bed. He followed him down, making sure their bodies touched in all the right places. Kendall spread his legs to accommodate their erections to best effect. Damn it, but getting off like this was tempting. “God, this feels too good to be true.” Landon supported his weight on his elbows so he could look into his lover’s face. “I hope not.” Kendall smiled and reached up to cup Landon’s cheek in a slightly trembling hand. “I’ve waited so long for this.” “So have I.” Landon bent down and kissed Kendall. The flavour of his lover was intoxicating, his scent made Landon dizzy and the feeling of his amazing body against his own was enough to bring him close to the edge. As if he hadn’t just come with the force of a geyser. Pulling back was an effort, but if he didn’t say what he wanted now, he was going to come before they could give it a try. “I want you to fuck me, Kendall.” Landon blushed at his own words. But it was nothing compared to the bright colour that suffused Kendall’s cheeks. His hips bucked, making Landon moan. Kendall gripped the back of Landon’s head and pulled him down for another scorching kiss. When they came up for air, Landon grinned. “I assume that was a yes?” Landon shifted a little, making sure he kept the pressure up. www.total-e-bound.com

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“Fuck, yes, that was a yes.” Kendall nodded. “I’ve never done this with anyone before.” Landon closed his eyes for a moment. “I just wanted you to know that. “I’ll be careful.” Kendall smiled up at him. “And we don’t have to do it if you’re not ready. I just bought the stuff, you know…in case.” “But I want to.” Landon rolled them over so that he was on the bottom. Even that felt right with Kendall. “I want it a lot.”

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Chapter Five

Kendall took a deep breath to try to calm down. His heart was racing and his need for oxygen seemed to be greater than his ability to breathe. The sight of Landon, his eyes glazed with lust, was enough to ramp up his desire another few notches, impossible though that might have seemed after what they’d already done. Fucking Landon? Just the idea had almost made him come on the spot. While he’d always dreamt about Landon fucking him, the idea of turning the tables made him harder than he’d ever been before. “If you want it…” Kendall grinned and reached for the little brown bag he’d managed to deposit on the nightstand. “Who am I to deny you?” “You are too kind.” Landon slid one arm up to cradle the back of Kendall’s neck while keeping the other firmly on his ass. Kendall bent down and kissed Landon. Sliding his tongue between Landon’s lips, he explored his lover’s mouth with a dedication that matched his need to be closer to him. He’d missed this level of intimacy in the few sexual encounters he’d had, to the point where he’d refused to kiss any of the men. Even so, he hadn’t liked how cheap and slutty those furtive meetings had made him feel, so he’d stopped having them after a while. Now he was glad he had. Kissing should be as fun, intimate and totally consuming as this exchange with Landon. He could kiss this man for the rest of his life and it would never be enough. The feeling of Landon’s hot tongue gliding against his own, the soft noises he made as they kissed and the feeling of his lover’s arms around him made him want to stay in this moment forever. Tongues duelling, bodies grinding against each other, he was almost at the point of no return when Landon pushed him away. “Please, baby? I want you inside me when I come. Want to see what it’s like to come on your cock.” Landon’s voice had gone even deeper than normal and he was panting with the effort to get enough air into his lungs. “God, I love it when you talk dirty.” Kendall liked hearing the endearment even more but wasn’t sure he was ready to say anything. Apparently, he wasn’t comfortable enough to venture into ‘mushy’ territory yet.

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“Yeah?” Landon grinned and squeezed Kendall’s ass cheeks. “I’d love it even more if there was less talk, more action.” “I can do that.” Kendall reached inside the bag and pulled out the bottle of lube. “More action coming right up.” Landon’s eyes widened and he moaned. His thighs spread farther in a clear move of assent. It make Kendall chuckle, but he was glad to see Landon seemed as much into this idea as he’d said. He couldn’t believe he was going to get to take Landon’s virginity, at least in this area. He’d thought he was the only one who had refused to let anyone fuck him all those years. It was wonderful to know they’d both had the same idea independent of each other…even though they’d both thought there was no hope of a reunion. Kendall sat up, admiring the view of Landon with legs spread, his hard cock lying on his flat abdomen, the large balls making a tempting target for licking. He put a hand on Landon’s inner thigh and made small circles. “Please.” Landon’s eyes crossed. “Hands and knees, sweetheart.” Mushy or not, the endearment felt right. Landon’s nostrils flared, a shudder went through his entire body and he turned onto his stomach before Kendall knew what was happening. After a few seconds of grinding his erect cock into the mattress and some hard breathing, Landon moaned and pushed himself up into the requested position. It brought his ass to the perfect height for Kendall to touch and caress. “Man, that’s even better than the front view.” Kendall grabbed his cock at the base and squeezed. Hard. No way did he want to come before he was buried balls deep inside Landon’s very attractive backside. “You’re an ‘ass man’?” Landon turned his head and grinned. “Never thought about it before.” Kendall opened the lube, as much to distract himself as to get started. “Looking at you, though, I can’t say which view is better. Your thighs are amazing—they’re what attracted me first. Now that I’ve seen the rest, I have no clue what’s your best feature. I like it all. I think I’m a ‘Landon man’.” “Flattery will get you laid.” Landon winked. “If you get on with it.” “I’ll show you ‘get on with it’.” Kendall slapped Landon’s ass, the cheek turning white for a second before pinking. “Oh shit.” Landon moaned and pushed back.

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“You liked that?” Kendall had been about to apologise for his impulsive act. It had been surprisingly erotic to hear the slap of hand on skin then see Landon’s buttock change colour. He held his breath, hoping for a yes. “Fuck, yes, I liked that.” Landon dropped his head into his hands. “Hey, don’t be embarrassed. I think it’s hot as hell.” Kendall stroked the slightly pink area before squeezing lightly. It made Landon moan again and Kendall grinned, filing away the knowledge for later. He wanted to have Landon try that on him as well at some point. It had looked utterly hot, and now he wanted to know what it felt like. With Landon’s large hands it would be totally amazing. His skin tingled at the thought of it. Kendall slid his hand across Landon’s upturned ass, exploring the skin, listening for Landon’s reactions. When he put a finger at the top of Landon’s crack and started to push down, Landon’s breath hitched. When the tip of his finger reached the wrinkled skin around his hole, Landon whimpered. He drew back his hand for a moment, opened the lube and poured a small amount over his fingers. Quickly dropping the bottle and using that hand to spread Landon’s ass cheeks, he got his first view of the pink rosette that was his target. He couldn’t resist and placed a small kiss on it. Landon pushed back, so Kendall did it again. The soft skin was tempting, and Landon seemed to enjoy it, so Kendall started licking around it, then passed the flat of his tongue right across it. Landon went wild, bucking his hips and moaning his enjoyment. It drove Kendall’s arousal higher and higher. Finally, he pulled back and put his finger where his tongue had been. The skin was already soft enough for it to give easily, and he slowly pressed his slick finger inside to the first knuckle. The heat was amazing, and the pressure around his digit promised an even better fit around his cock. “Fuck, yes.” Landon pushed back until he had the whole finger inside him. “More.” Kendall raised his eyebrows but did as Landon requested. He pulled out his first finger, and pushed back in with two. Landon hissed. Kendall froze. “Love the burn. Don’t stop.” Landon’s voice was husky as he started fucking himself on Kendall’s fingers. www.total-e-bound.com

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Kendall grinned and curled them, looking for his lover’s prostate. There. He stroked the small bump inside Landon’s clenching channel. Landon howled and pushed harder. “Your cock, baby, please. I need your cock now.” Landon’s whole body was trembling. Kendall withdrew his fingers, wiped them on the sheets, and put on the condom in record time. He couldn’t wait to push inside that incredible heat. He moved between Landon’s spread legs, put one hand on his lover’s hip to steady him and used his other to support his aching cock as he placed the tip at Landon’s opening. “Ready?” His voice sounded rough. “Please. Need you.” Landon panted and wriggled his ass. Kendall took a deep breath and started pressing against the muscle. Even though Landon had been carefully stretched, Kendall’s cock was a tight fit. The pressure around him as he pushed deeper was incredible, and he had to squeeze the base of his cock again to keep from coming. Making sure Landon was still okay, he kept the pressure up until he was all the way inside. Landon groaned, his muscles like a vice around Kendall’s throbbing cock. Kendall stopped moving, taking deep breaths to try to regain control. All he wanted was to move, but there was no way he was going to hurt Landon. “Move, please.” Landon grabbed his own cock and started stroking it. “Fuck me like you mean it.” Kendall grinned then pulled back, only to thrust forwards with all he had. “Like that?” God, he was out of breath already. This wasn’t going to take long. “Please!” Landon chuckled. “Won’t be long, but I love it.” Kendall gripped Landon’s hips and gave in to his need. Thrusting into Landon’s hot body was even better than he’d expected. The tight heat around his cock was driving his arousal higher than it had ever been, and hearing Landon’s happy whimpers as he pounded into him made him feel ten feet tall. “Gonna.” Landon’s spine arched as he started shuddering his release. Kendall almost bit his tongue as Landon’s channel clenched around him, making him come harder than he ever had before. He held on to Landon’s hips as he pushed as far inside him as possible. Pleasure raced up his spine as he filled the condom, making him see stars with the force of his orgasm. www.total-e-bound.com

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It seemed to last hours. When he was done, he pulled out, dealt with the condom then collapsed at Landon’s side. No words could express what he felt at that moment. The pleasure was one thing, but he also knew this man was it for him. They were so close now, he could only hope this relationship would last. Living without Landon had been hard before, but after finding out what being with him could be like, he didn’t think he could do that again. Ever. They were both breathing hard for a while, trying to regain their breath. Then his lover turned towards him and Kendall moved into his arms so they could kiss. The emotions in Landon’s eyes seemed to mirror what Kendall felt, and he sank into their slow, tender caresses without looking back. He was now Landon’s all the way.

**** Riverside, Texas Tuesday, December 2, 2008 Landon had a very bad feeling as he walked into the city council meeting room. Mr. Ambrose from Kendall’s firm and Kendall, as well as Mr. Cabbert and Mrs. Vance, were already seated. Mary Neal was rushing around making and distributing coffee, her bluster somehow spreading a feeling of panic. A total stranger sat next to Kendall’s boss. He was tall, well-dressed in a charcoal suit, and wire-rimmed reading glasses formed an odd contrast to his burly frame and rough-hewn face. He looked almost like a gangster of some sort. Landon declined the coffee he was offered, not wanting to ramp up his nervousness even more. He asked for bottled water instead then gripped the bottle like an anchor as he moved to a free seat and sat down. Kendall looked at him briefly, his lips twitching, but his lover didn’t say anything. He looked as nervous as Landon felt. They’d parted company this morning when Kendall had to leave for work, but their first night together had been amazing. Too exhausted to do anything else after their first encounter, they’d fallen asleep in each other’s arms only to be rudely awakened by the alarm Landon had set for Kendall. Getting up together, taking www.total-e-bound.com

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separate showers so they wouldn’t lose too much time, then sharing breakfast had been as wonderful in its way as the sex had been mind-blowing. All of it taken together had been the high point of his life. He was more determined than ever to make this relationship work, but they hadn’t had time to discuss the details. Being called into a totally unscheduled council meeting this morning was an unwelcome surprise. Landon couldn’t shake the feeling that now that his personal life had taken a turn for the better, his professional life was about to take a severe hit. “This meeting will come to order, now that we are all here.” Mr. Cabbert banged his gavel and people settled down. “As you all know, this is a bit unexpected. Our next meeting was scheduled for Friday, at which point we were going to be ready to announce our preliminary decision. Then the party not assigned the bid would have had three days to come up with a counter offer before we made our final decision. However, we have now had an incredibly generous offer from an unexpected source, and we felt it was in order to inform everyone as soon as possible.” Landon raised his eyebrows and saw Kendall do the same. Mr. Ambrose and the stranger just smirked. A shiver, and not a nice one, travelled down Landon’s spine. Shit, this wasn’t good. “Mr. Noah Easely—chief executive of Groceries For You, the regional supermarket chain behind Ambrose & Quinley’s original bid—has decided to come forward to try to shorten the process.” Mr. Cabbert smiled at Mr. Easely much too warmly for them to be strangers. “We’re very grateful for your intended contribution. Would you like to take five minutes to explain your offer?” “Thank you, Mr. Cabbert—much appreciated.” Mr. Easely cleared his throat and looked around the table, finally resting his gaze in the middle distance, not looking at anyone in particular. “I don’t want to make a big fuss, but I really believe in the inner city renewal project. There’s no time to lose. This last lot has been up for a decision for far too long. What we need is a fast decision, so that the poor people who have to live in that area have a chance to improve their lives. Groceries For You can give them exactly that, by giving them the kinds of jobs they can cope with. We will also provide affordable groceries, of course.” Landon’s jaw dropped. The weasel was clearly out to increase his own bottom line. There were already a small convenience store and another supermarket, so what the ‘poor people’ living in that area didn’t need was another grocery store. Groceries For You was well www.total-e-bound.com

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known for taking over a neighbourhood by moving in with ridiculously low prices that made their competitors give up and leave. Once they were gone, the prices were hiked up again. With a captive audience, most of them not owning a car, this concept had worked well for the bastards. Kendall looked equally shocked, but the rest of the attendees seemed to think there was nothing amiss. In fact, he could see by looking at their grins that they probably thought everything was perfect. “Mr. Easely has been generous enough to double the initial offer of one million dollars. This will make a substantial difference in the council’s budget, and free up some much needed cash for community support.” Mr. Cabbert stroked his chin. “In fact, I’m tempted to break off the procedure, and go straight into plan execution, since I do not believe Promises Kept has that kind of cash to offer. Do you?” “I… Well…” Landon swallowed. Fuck, he didn’t think they had that kind of money at all. But what he needed was some time to come up with an alternative, so he was going to play for time. “I’d need to check with my superiors, of course.” “Of course.” Mr. Cabbert’s smile looked forced. “In the interest of moving this project forward, however, I am going to reduce the available time from three days to one.” “That isn’t fair.” Landon had spoken before switching on his brain. It was too late to take it back, so he put on his poker face and stiffened his back. “It’s the best I can do.” Mr. Cabbert looked like he’d bitten into an especially sour lemon. “Please remember that the city council has total freedom in determining what any decision process looks like. If I were you, I’d count my blessings and get on the phone with those who can make a decision in your organisation.” And if that didn’t tell him which way this decision was headed, Landon didn’t know what would!

**** An hour later Landon was walking into Greg’s office, still upset and with a pounding major headache that wouldn’t go away even once he’d taken a painkiller. The meeting had come to an abrupt end after the rude statement by the council member in charge. Mr. Cabbert, the bastard, had looked very satisfied as he strode out of the room, followed by the www.total-e-bound.com

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other two city employees. If Landon were a betting man he’d put money on something being in it for Mr. Cabbert if he decided to let the commercial proposal win. There was no way to prove this, of course, but Landon was pretty sure there was more to this situation than met the eye. Landon had wanted to talk to Kendall, even though his lover was officially on the other side. He trusted him enough to be able to put that to one side and talk about Landon’s situation, help him figure out what to do now that he might not have an easy job lined up in Riverside after all. But Kendall had been whisked away by his boss, looking as shell-shocked as Landon felt. He hadn’t picked up his cell, and his office number went to a polite but unimpressed personal assistant who had told him that Kendall was in meetings all afternoon, but she would leave a message and was sure he’d get back to Landon as soon as convenient. Yeah, right. Landon had called his boss, Elaine, to give her the bad news, and while she was shocked and had commiserated, she’d also said she thought it unlikely Promises Kept was going to be able to come up with that sort of money within twenty-four hours. A lot of their locations were donated or bought for a symbolic amount, so finding funding of that size on such short notice was more than unlikely. She was going to get back to him as well. Fuck! “What the hell am I going to do now?” Landon plopped down in one of Greg’s uncomfortable visitor chairs, startling Greg into looking away from the computer screen he’d been glaring at. “Good afternoon to you, too.” Greg attempted a smile. “Yeah, well, same to you.” Landon rubbed his aching temples. “Sorry for being so grumpy, but my day isn’t going well.” “You told me as much on the phone.” Greg leant back in his chair. “Am I going to get any more details now you’re here or do you just need someone to yell at?” “Shit, I’m sorry, Greg.” Landon closed his eyes, trying to focus on taking deep, calming breaths. It wasn’t working, so he opened his eyes again, only to see Greg staring at him with a worried expression. “That’s okay, you’re forgiven. It’s just very rare to see you this upset. In fact, I think it’s the first time I’ve ever seen you like this.” Greg shook his head. “It’s a little disconcerting, to say the least.” www.total-e-bound.com

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“You’re right, this is probably the most upset I’ve been in a long time. And I haven’t got a fucking clue what to do.” Landon shrugged. “I’m afraid to admit it, but my professional opinion is I should go get counselling.” “It’s a good thing you came to see me, then.” Greg grinned. “Why? Do you know a good counsellor around here?” Landon wasn’t sure that was what he really needed, but it was what he told most of his potential clients. “No, dumbass, you’re looking at him.” Greg pointed at himself for good measure. “Meet Greg Tully, professional counsellor for big brothers in distress.” “Are you serious?” It took him a second to catch up then he burst out laughing. “God, that was funny. Thanks for making me laugh. I already feel better.” “Good. Now that we’ve got that out of the way and you feel less depressed, let’s get to why you’re really here.” Greg leant forwards, put his elbows on the table and supported his head with his hands. “Well, let’s just say that life has thrown me a real curveball.” Landon took another deep breath, this one a little more effective at calming him down. “And to make it worse, it came out of left field as well.” “Professional…or personal?” “What? How do you know?” Landon’s eyes widened. He hadn’t even realised until his brother said it, but meeting Kendall again would probably qualify as a ‘personal curveball’. No wonder he was so confused. After a fairly quiet and orderly life over the past eight years, even though it had been very lonely, it didn’t seem that he was equipped anymore to deal with a double crisis like the one that had just hit him. “Know what?” Greg raised his eyebrows. “Just a lucky guess, then.” Landon nodded, relieved he hadn’t been that transparent. “I guess that means there’s more than one story, unless they’re connected somehow.” Greg’s eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Have you been holding out on me?” His brother clearly was no dummy. “Out with it, then. I want all the dirty details.” Greg sat back in his chair, obviously settling in for the duration. “Okay. Um. Well, let’s start with the professional.” Landon explained about the surprising new project offer that had been made this morning, the city council’s reaction to it, and his unsuccessful attempt to get the funding from Promises Kept. www.total-e-bound.com

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“It seems to me that the city council is out for money more than it’s interested in serving the citizens of this town.” Greg frowned. “Absolutely.” Landon sighed. “I understand they’d be tempted to accept the money and run. It’s very human to react that way, and I’ve certainly seen it happen before in other cities. It’s still frustrating, however, especially since Promises Kept has a real service to offer, one that is very much needed in this town.” “Is that the part that makes it personal? The fact that you may not have a job if Promises Kept can’t come up with the funding?” Greg tilted his head. “I sure hope it doesn’t mean you’re reconsidering your decision to stay in Riverside.” “Yes and no. My wanting to stay here has more than one reason.” Landon took a deep breath. This was going to be the hard part. “Oh?” Greg raised his eyebrows. “Having a job is obviously a big part of anyone’s life. But something else has happened since we last spoke, something that’s much more important than a job.” Landon’s heart was going to fly out of his chest at the rate it was going. “Don’t tell me. You’ve met someone?” Greg’s eyebrows were trying to crawl under his hairline. “Not ‘met’, exactly.” Landon smiled. His little brother looked so adorably concerned like that, as if he wanted to defend Landon against anyone who could possibly come too close to hurt him. He’d never told Greg the details about the mistake he’d made with Kendall, but Greg had sensed that something was off and Landon had simply admitted it was relationship-related. Greg had been incredibly protective ever since. Not that he’d had a reason to be until now. “‘Met again’ would be more accurate.” “But that’s great!” Greg bounced in his chair. “Who is it? Is he cute? Are you serious about him? When can I meet him?” “It is pretty wonderful. And I’ve never been more serious about anyone in my life.” Landon smiled. “Not even the asshole that hurt you so badly eight years ago?” Greg fisted his hand and frowned as he mock-glared at Landon. “Funny you should say that.” Landon didn’t think it was funny at all. If Greg was this upset on his behalf after all these years, it might make things very difficult for Kendall. Even though Kendall hadn’t been the one at fault. Something else Landon needed to confess. www.total-e-bound.com

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“Holy hell, it is the same guy!” Greg slumped back in his chair, mouth hanging open until he remembered to close it. “And what’s more, you’ve already met him. But it was a long time ago and you may not remember him.” Landon quietly crossed his fingers for himself. “You’re telling me now that I knew him all along? I wish I’d known. I would have beaten him up for you. In fact, I may still do that if he misbehaves again.” Greg growled. “You will do no such thing!” Landon couldn’t bear the thought of anyone beating up his Kendall. And wasn’t that level of protectiveness towards his lover a big surprise? He almost chuckled but looking at how seriously Greg was taking this, he thought he’d better not. “Not unless he deserves it.” Greg grinned evilly. “So…out with it. Who is he?” “His name is Kendall Gable. He used—” “My ex-student Kendall Gable? The one you lusted after when he was in high school? The one who volunteered at the shelter with you until he graduated?” Greg slapped his forehead. “I should have known!” “You remember him!” Landon stared at his brother. He didn’t even know which statement to react to first. “Of course I remember him. He’s a great guy and had the biggest ever crush on you. I thought you handled it really well.” Greg laughed. “I guess you met up in college and that’s how he got to you?” “Yeah, well, he did and I was stupid about it. I was scared of coming out and dumped him. So it wasn’t really him who hurt me—it was all my fault.” Landon hung his head. “It’s okay.” Greg’s voice was soft. Landon looked up. “It doesn’t matter now, does it? You’ve decided to get together again, that’s all that counts. And at least I don’t have to go beat him up now—that would not have been fun.” Greg winked. “Not that I wouldn’t have done it, had it been necessary.” “The scary part is that I believe you.” Landon laughed, relieved this had gone so well. “And you know what? Talking to you has made me realise that I already know what I’m going to do.” “Somehow I knew this was going to happen.” Greg switched off the computer, got up and walked around his desk to slap Landon on the shoulder. “Seeing as it’s the end of the www.total-e-bound.com

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work day, I suggest we have a beer and make detailed plans. Which will include me seeing Kendall again pretty soon, I hope.” All of a sudden that prospect seemed a lot less daunting than it had before Landon had come here.

**** Kendall followed Mr. Ambrose into the partner’s office on autopilot. He had no idea what Mr. Ambrose wanted from him, but he’d been told to attend a ‘post-meeting debriefing’, so he had no choice. He’d much rather have spent the time figuring out how to help Landon. Personally, he thought Landon’s project deserved to win. It would benefit everyone a lot more than yet another supermarket. It made him feel uncomfortable to hope their ‘enemy’ would win…a bit like betraying his employer’s trust. This situation might be the final straw, though. He’d been thinking about a change in employer before, since he didn’t like many of Ambrose & Quinley’s business practices. On top of which it always seemed easier to attain a higher position by moving to a new place. The revelation of how his boss was planning to use a client’s money to barge his—and his firm’s—way into the inner city renewal project had shocked him to the core. And his job didn’t even depend on it. He couldn’t imagine what Landon was feeling right now. Kendall knew how dedicated his lover was to his job. A nagging voice at the back of his head kept asking what this potential loss for Promises Kept meant for Landon’s decision to stay in Riverside. While that was a purely selfish reason to help Landon, it did add to his determination. “That went rather well, don’t you think?” Mr. Ambrose sank into his plush desk chair and rubbed his hands. “I’m sure the council will see things our way now.” “You planned this?” Kendall sank into the chair opposite Mr. Ambrose’s desk, trying to hide his shock. “Of course! After seeing them veering towards that bleeding-heart sociology project yesterday, I just knew we had to take more drastic measures.” Mr. Ambrose winked. “There’s a lot of money in it for us if we manage to win this bid for Mr. Easeley. He’s promised to give us several—” www.total-e-bound.com

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“Please, I don’t want to hear this.” Kendall rose from his chair, barely restraining himself from yelling ‘foul play’…or worse. “I need to get back to work on the Parker changes we were given yesterday.” “Oh, on the contrary, you do need to hear this.” Mr. Ambrose narrowed his eyes. “It’s time you woke up to the realities of how business is conducted. I’ve been worried about your overly straight-laced attitude for a while now, and your reaction to a perfectly normal business agreement like this confirms my suspicions. You need to come off your high moral horse, roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, or you’ll never make it to senior partner.” Kendall could feel his jaw drop. Unable to move, he just stared at Mr. Ambrose for a few moments. “What’s wrong with you?” Mr. Ambrose shook his head. “It’s really very simple and straightforward. We’ll scratch Mr. Easely’s back, he scratches ours and bingo—everyone wins.” “Except the homeless young people in Riverside.” Kendall took a deep breath. It was time to take a stand. “Excuse me?” Mr. Ambrose fell back in his chair, suddenly pale and looking nauseated. “You heard me.” Kendall felt better already. “I think Promises Kept deserves to win the bid. Please take me off the project and I’ll find you someone else to work with you and Mr. Easely. I can’t in good conscience pretend to support what you’re doing.” “You what?” Mr. Ambrose went from pale to red with fury in two seconds flat. “You cannot do that. I want you on this project, and that’s the end of it.” “I am very sorry, sir, but I can’t continue to work on it.” Kendall swallowed. He sort of knew what was next. He wasn’t disappointed. “In that case, Mr. Gable, I’m very sorry, but I have to terminate your employment with this firm. We won’t tolerate the presence of disloyal employees.” Mr. Ambrose reached for the phone. “We’ll pay the month’s notice you’re entitled to, of course, but I want you to leave the premises immediately. Considering the sensitivity of this project, I must also ask you not to talk about the details with anyone outside this firm.” Kendall nodded, in complete shock yet again. Wow. Not that he regretted it—there were always other jobs. It was time to talk to his cousin Elliot Watkins. The man had returned from years of living in Boston earlier this year and had gone to work for an architect focusing on www.total-e-bound.com

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the development and construction of environmentally-friendly buildings. That sounded a lot better than working for the money-grabbing firm of Ambrose & Quinley to Kendall, now that he’d rediscovered his social conscience. Elliot had gone through a bit of a career change himself, so he’d be able to understand. Kendall also hoped he’d know some people in the right places, and with the right attitude, maybe he’d have an idea of where Kendall should start looking. “Did you hear what I was saying?” Mr. Ambrose sounded even more upset than before. “Security will be here in a few minutes to escort you to your office. You can take items of a personal nature with you, but they will make sure you don’t take any company materials. We’ll send you your cheque in the mail by the end of the week.” “Sure.” Kendall smiled and turned around to walk out of the door. He felt curiously relieved, even though he’d just lost his job. But he had confidence in his ability to find another one within the month for which he was still getting paid. Mr. Ambrose huffed behind him, sounding rather annoyed. Not his problem anymore!

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Chapter Six

A few hours later, Kendall was on his way to meet his cousin Elliot for an early homecooked dinner. He’d been hesitant to accept the invitation but Elliot had insisted that a discussion of Kendall’s future was best had on a full stomach. They’d never been that close as children, having shared only the one summer when Elliot’s family had first moved to Riverside eight years ago because their joint grandmother had been very ill. Kendall had gone off to college a few months later and had only heard about Elliot’s family moving back to Boston two years after that because Elliot’s parents had caught him kissing his sweetheart, David Lear. Their grandmother had died shortly thereafter, but Elliot hadn’t even been allowed back for her funeral. Kendall was glad David had finally gone to find Elliot last year and had managed to convince him to come back to Riverside. They hadn’t spoken much since then—both being too busy working on their careers—but Kendall knew that Elliot was extremely happy with David, who also happened to be Greg’s assistant sports coach at Riverside High. It sure was a small world. Kendall pulled up to the simple apartment building on the east side of town that was now Elliot’s home. A small park was a few feet away, and the gardens and buildings looked well maintained. Kendall grinned as he got out of the car and locked it. His somewhat more luxurious condo might have to go, depending how his financial situation developed. Maybe living somewhere like this wouldn’t be so bad. He rang the bell. “Is that you, Kendall?” Elliot’s voice sounded tinny through the somewhat outdated speaker system. “Sure is.” Kendall smiled. “You going to let me in?” “Hmm, let me think about it.” Elliot laughed. “Sure thing, buddy, take the elevator to the third floor, and we’re number three-oh-five, third door on the left.” The door opened a few moments later and Kendall walked in to the building. An elevator ride later, he had arrived at the door, which was already open.

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“Come on in, we’ve been expecting you.” Elliot moved back, a wide smile on his face. He was about three inches taller than Kendall’s five-ten and looked almost exactly like he always had, except his curly hair was shorter and his shoulders were a little wider. His blue eyes sparkled and he opened his arms. Kendall couldn’t resist that much warmth and walked straight into the hug. Elliot didn’t have that big a family—was no longer in touch with his parents or his sister—so maybe Elliot would come to think of Kendall as a replacement brother or something. He didn’t have a problem with that, since he was an only child himself and had always wished he’d had a sibling…or even two. “Leave some of the man for me as well, honey.” The deep voice from behind Elliot was probably David’s. Elliot laughed and let go of him. Kendall held his hand out for David to shake. He had deep brown eyes set in a rugged face with a square jaw, spiky blond hair and very broad shoulders. He looked to be in excellent shape, still exuded that quarterback vibe he’d had going for him in high school, and all but had the word ‘coach’ tattooed on his forehead. “None of that. We believe in giving hugs in this household, especially for family members.” David pulled Kendall into a bear hug. Even though the man was only about an inch taller than Elliot, his muscles were well developed and his embrace was strong. “Come on in, please. David has made us some of his famous spaghetti Bolognese and the sauce should be finished in a few minutes. I hope that’s okay?” Elliot grinned as he closed the apartment door then led the way through the small hallway into a comfortable looking living room. An overstuffed sofa was to the right, facing a state-of-the-art TV and sound system. A ton of DVDs was stacked to one side of it, an overflowing bookshelf sat on the other. Large windows in one wall looked out onto the back gardens and more apartments behind some leafy trees, and a door in the wall to their left led to the kitchen. Delicious smells wafted from that direction and made Kendall’s stomach growl. “I guess that answers that question.” Elliot winked. Kendall blushed as he took the offered seat on the sofa, watching David vanish into the kitchen with a big grin on his face. “I didn’t realise I was this hungry.” “No problem. We’ll have you fed in a minute. Would you like a drink while we wait?” Elliot walked over to a small cabinet hidden behind the armrest of the sofa. www.total-e-bound.com

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“Could I just have some orange juice, please?” Kendall sat back and tried to relax. “I still have to drive back.” “No problem and no need to apologise. I won’t force anyone to have alcohol if they don’t want it.” Elliot walked into the kitchen and brought back two tall glasses with lots of ice and juice that looked to be freshly squeezed. They spent the next few minutes exchanging small talk, after which David let them know that dinner was served. Kendall followed Elliot into the kitchen and took a seat at the small table set with simple white plates and spotlessly clean silverware. Without losing much time, they dived into the food, and the first few minutes passed in silence. “Wow, this is really good!” Kendall looked up into David’s smiling face. “Thank you for going to all this trouble for me.” “It wasn’t any trouble at all, but you’re welcome.” David offered second helpings and Kendall was still hungry enough to accept. He’d missed lunch, and for the first time he was glad he had. This was far better food. “Right, now that we’ve got the first hunger satisfied, we can start working on solving your and Landon’s problem.” Elliot had declined a second helping and now leant back in his chair to watch Kendall and David eating. “Ever since you told me what’s been going on, I’ve been thinking about ways to help you guys.” “Wow, I appreciate it. But all I really wanted was to pick your brain about finding an architecture firm with better morals—and maybe a better social conscience—than Ambrose & Quinley turned out to have. I realise you’ve only just started working in the field, but as far as I can see you’re light years ahead of me in terms of understanding the more ethical side of this business.” “I don’t know about ideas, but I did look at several firms before I committed myself to working for AFTE, or Architects For The Environment.” Elliot shrugged. “Maybe it’s because I had a pretty bad experience with my father’s advertising company and already knew what I wasn’t willing to put up with.” “That makes sense.” Kendall pushed his empty plate away, rubbing his now rather full stomach. “So, what have you come up with?” “Well, I have this idea…” Elliot grinned. “I think we should have some coffee, and I can explain it to you, see what you think.”

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“Sure, if I don’t die of curiosity first.” Kendall laughed, helped rinse the dishes so Elliot could put them into the dishwasher, despite his cousin’s protests. Meanwhile, David took care of the coffee and carried them to the living room when they were prepared. Once they were all settled, Kendall turned his full attention to Elliot. “Right, now, here’s the thing.” Elliot took a sip of his coffee and his face became serious for the first time in the last hour or so. The man was remarkably happy and let it show. “From what you told me, it’s clear that you don’t approve of Ambrose & Quinley’s business philosophy. That got me to thinking about you working for AFTE, which would be an easy solution to your immediate need for a job. Luckily, they have an opening, and I’ve put in a good word for you, so they’re willing to see you for an interview on Friday.” Elliot made a ta-da movement with his arms. Kendall’s jaw dropped and it took a few seconds for him to get himself under control again. That was so much more than he’d hoped for; he didn’t know what to do with himself. “Wow.” Kendall put a hand on his heart to try and calm it down. “Thank you so much! I don’t know what to say.” “A simple thank you is enough.” Elliott smiled. “After all, we are family, right?” “Right. But still…” Kendall smiled right back. Even though he didn’t have a job yet, it was a great opening much sooner than he’d expected it and he’d certainly do his best. “That is such a relief.” “But that’s not all.” David put down his cup, having finished his coffee. “My clever lover doesn’t believe in doing things halfway. So he’s been pestering me about ideas of what else we can do to help you guys.” “Well, actually, it’s the disadvantaged people of Riverside that got me thinking. I was just so angry that the city council would consider building a supermarket over a homeless shelter.” Elliott shook his head. “These guys certainly won’t get my vote at the next local elections.” “Nor mine.” David scowled. “Anyway, the real problem seems to be that the city council wants money, which, like you said, Promises Kept is doubtful to have at the moment, if ever.” Elliot paused, looking at Kendall as if for confirmation. “Obviously I don’t know for sure, but with them basically being a charity, I just can’t imagine they’re flush with the kind of money Mr. Easley has put on the table.” Kendall www.total-e-bound.com

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hoped he wasn’t treading on Landon’s feet, but his lover’s first reaction had been so stricken that he couldn’t imagine there to be an easy solution. “Okay, so that got me thinking about finding a way to get them the money they need. And I think I’ve come up with a solution.” Elliot finished his coffee and put his cup on the low coffee table next to David’s. “You’re not going to suggest we rob a bank, are you?” It was pretty much the only way Kendall could think of to get their hands on two million dollars practically overnight. “No, nothing illegal, I promise.” Elliott laughed. “What then? I’m dying of curiosity here, man.” Kendall was ready to explode from it. “Right, here’s the thing.” Elliot leant forwards. “If I told you that I know this guy who is looking for something useful to do, possibly in the area of protecting the disadvantaged, and has more money than he knows what to do with, would you be interested in talking to him?” “Would I ever!” Kendall almost jumped up from his seat. “I take it that was a yes.” Elliot laughed. “You can take that as a double yes.” Kendall took a deep breath, this time trying to control his excitement. “So, who is this guy? If you’re right, we need to talk to him pretty quickly. The city council gave us only until tomorrow afternoon. Do you think he’ll even agree to a meeting on such short notice?” “To answer your first question first, the guy in question is called Zeke Fortin. He’s my friend Rick’s older brother’s partner.” Elliot grinned. “And if you followed that one, you’re cleverer than I am. Basically, David and I went to the same class in high school with Rick. His older brother, Ben, recently got together with Zeke after they figured out they were much more than best friends.” “You’re right, that is complicated.” Kendall scratched his head. “I was never very good at family and relationships, so you might have to draw me a chart.” David laughed, a loud booming sound that made Kendall chuckle. “Never mind how we know him. The fact is that he not only has a huge trust fund— and I mean huge—but he’s also looking for a way to make a difference.” Elliot shrugged. “Apparently, he’s been working in real estate but wants to do something worthwhile now that he’s back in Riverside. He’s been working with and donating to a variety of charities, but hadn’t made up his mind to pick only one of them last time I talked to him. That was earlier this afternoon. ” www.total-e-bound.com

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“And he’s interested?” Kendall couldn’t believe his luck. “Very interested. He suggested a meeting later this evening, if both you and Landon can make it.” Elliot smiled. “I need to call him, of course, but I can’t imagine he’s got anything better to do.” Kendall couldn’t wait to tell Landon. At least now there was hope.

**** Landon was nervous. And excited. He wasn’t sure which was the dominant emotion, but either was better than the beginning of a depression he’d felt earlier. Greg had managed to cheer him up, but once they’d made it home and he still hadn’t heard from Kendall, he’d started to worry. When Kendall had finally returned his calls, Landon had been so relieved to hear his lover’s voice that he’d forgotten to ask all the questions on his mind. Kendall had been very secretive, only saying that their problems were about to be solved. Landon had no clue how he could pull that off, but was curious enough to jump into his car and drive to the Front Porch in record time. He’d never known that they had a private function room, but apparently that was where Kendall wanted to meet him. Why in the world did they need a whole room to themselves? After walking into the function room, which had been pointed out by a helpful member of the wait staff, Landon stopped dead in his tracks when he saw not only Kendall, but eight other men sitting around one of the two large, round tables in the room. The second table seemed to serve as a sort of buffet—offering drinks and snacks, as well as plates, bowls and various drinking glasses. “Kendall?” Landon stared at his lover, who seemed to be in an animated discussion with three men at once. One of them looked vaguely familiar—the blond quarterback-like guy looked a lot like David, Greg’s assistant coach. What was he doing here? “Landon!” Kendall jumped up from his chair and ran to him, throwing himself into his arms and hugging him tightly enough to make breathing difficult. “I’m so sorry about the shit Mr. Easeley pulled this afternoon. I swear, I didn’t know what was going to happen. But now that I’ve realised what a horribly greedy firm Ambrose & Quinley is, I stood up to my boss and guess what?” www.total-e-bound.com

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Landon shook his head, focused on holding Kendall as close to him as possible for as long as he’d let him. It was the best feeling in the world and he never wanted to go without it again. He’d do whatever was necessary to stay in Riverside and build a life with Kendall. “He fired me!” Kendall looked triumphant. “And that made you happy?” Landon needed to sit down. Now they were both without a job. Kendall because he’d been fired—quite happily so. Landon because there was no longer a job with Promises Kept in Riverside, and the job they had for him in Houston wasn’t one he was willing to go back to. What the hell were they going to do for money? He couldn’t live off Greg forever and he wasn’t even sure if Kendall had any family—at least he’d never mentioned anyone. “Extremely!” Kendall stepped back and took Landon’s hand, pulling him towards the table where the other men sat, chatting and drinking as if they were friends or at least knew each other really well. “That must be the strangest reaction to someone being fired I ever heard of.” Landon shook his head but dutifully sat where Kendall pointed. “The reason I’m so happy is that I really couldn’t stand to work for them any longer. I’d had my doubts about their business practices for a while, but today everything came to a head and I decided I was no longer willing to follow their guidelines, if you can call them that.” Kendall moved one of the available chairs closer to Landon’s and sat down. “Good for you.” Landon was always happy if someone followed their principles. Even if, in this case, it was going to make their lives considerably more difficult. “No, I think it’s going to be good for us.” Kendall smiled. “Let me introduce these guys to you, since they are all here to help us. Well, not all of them—some of them are just going to be part of the support team.” “I don’t have to be able to make sense of this right now, do I?” Landon wanted a drink in the worst way, but he knew he needed to stay away from alcohol if he wanted to wrap his head around this situation. Not to mention remember everyone’s name. “Can I get some water first?” “Sure.” Kendall jumped up and got him one. “Thanks.” Landon opened the bottle and downed half its contents, just to make sure his throat wouldn’t dry out at a critical moment. Kendall stood up and got everyone’s attention. “Hey everyone, this is Landon.” www.total-e-bound.com

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“Hi, Landon.” It was like a chorus at an AA meeting. By the time they had all introduced themselves, Landon was dizzy. The quarterback he thought he’d recognised was indeed Greg’s assistant coach and former student, David Lear. He was here with his partner, Elliot, who was apparently Kendall’s cousin. Then there were the three Fortin brothers—Zeke, who was looking for a charity to help, William, who was forensic scientist with the county, and Jason, who sold cars for a living. They looked a lot alike with various shades of blond hair and blue eyes…except for Jason, whose grey-green eyes set him apart. They’d each brought their partners as well—Ben, an extremely tall detective, Vicente, an elegant-looking Latino bartender, and Steve, a powerful black man who was a window washer for Ambrose & Quinley. Landon wasn’t at all sure he’d remember all of their names, but he’d give it a try. “Right, now that we know who everyone is, let me explain what this is all about.” Kendall took a sip of his juice and launched into the explanation of what Elliot had suggested. The more Kendall revealed of their plan, the more Landon liked it. Zeke, the eldest Fortin brother, spoke up and explained why he wanted to do this. He sounded a lot like Kendall—disillusioned with the money-grabbing nature of his previous profession, he was now looking for something more worthwhile to spend his time and money on. Good for them! The two younger Fortin brothers, while not disillusioned yet, wanted to join the effort because it was a worthy cause and to help out their brother. Jason wasn’t even old enough to control his trust fund, but wanted to contribute as soon as he was able. With financial backing like this, the city council wouldn’t know what hit them in tomorrow’s meeting!

**** Riverside, Texas Wednesday, December 24, 2008 Landon put the last decorations on their tree and took a step back to check the effect.

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“Wow, that looks amazing.” Kendall had sneaked up on him again—his steps muffled by the thick woollen socks they’d taken to wearing when they were in the apartment that was no longer just Kendall’s, but was slowly becoming a home they truly shared. “You like it?” Landon turned around to take the mug with hot mulled wine Kendall had got for him. He took a sip and moaned. “This is the best recipe ever. I wish your grandmother was still around so I could thank her.” “It’s good, I agree. I also think the silver and blue colour theme for our tree works really well.” Kendall looked so happy it made Landon’s heart jump for joy. “It’s certainly the most beautiful tree I’ve ever had in this apartment.” “I’m glad.” Landon sipped more of the wine before putting the mug on the low table. He sat on the soft rug with his back to the sofa, enjoying the view of the tree in the corner between the windows and the fireplace. The stockings on the mantle added splotches of colour, as did the Christmas cards they’d displayed on the mantelpiece. He held out his hand and pulled a very willing Kendall to sit between his spread legs. “We deserve some beauty, not to mention a bit of peace and quiet in our lives.” “Yeah, the last few weeks have been just a bit too hectic.” Kendall put his head on Landon’s shoulder and leaned into his embrace. They’d discovered they were both fans of cuddling and practiced their new shared hobby at every opportunity. “Do you regret any of it?” Landon didn’t think Kendall did, but it was always best to check. That was one of the many lessons they’d learnt as they worked on building their relationship. “No way!” Kendall looked up at him, eyes wide. “It was all worth it anyway, because I’ve ended up with a much better job, working for AFTE. Elliot is a great colleague and I like that both he and David have become good friends. But the best part—the bit that would be worth any sacrifice—was our reunion. I’ll be eternally grateful you took the first step. I’m not sure I could have convinced you, although I’m sure I would have tried.” “I’m glad I was able to convince myself.” Landon chuckled. “That sounds really odd, but you know what? That’s exactly what it felt like. I just wish I’d done it earlier and not waited until my father’s death made me come back to Riverside for more than a weekend visit with Greg.” “The job opportunity helped as well, right?” Kendall snuggled more deeply into Landon’s arms. www.total-e-bound.com

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It seemed as if Kendall made sure his backside was rubbing against Landon’s already half-hard cock. The little tease. Landon grinned. He liked that Kendall seemed to be horny all the time. It was an excellent match for his own libido. “Of course it did, but in a way, it was just the icing on the cake. The thing that made it easier for me to make a decision I knew deep down I was going to make anyway.” Landon slid his arms around Kendall’s middle and held on, breathing in the scent of mulled wine, Kendall’s cologne and pure Kendall underneath it all. “I’m very grateful things worked out so well.” Kendall closed his eyes and dozed for a while, as he often would when he was warm and safe in Landon’s arms. The last three weeks, as hectic as they’d been, had been the best of Landon’s life. The offer they’d made to the city council—with Zeke’s and William’s help—had been accepted. No surprise there. Rather than work everything via Promises Kept, the idea of running their own charity—with Zeke and Landon as its leaders—had been born and accepted by the group. Rick—Ben’s younger brother, who was a lawyer—helped them with setting up a charitable trust, and AFTE was working on designs for a state-of-the-art homeless shelter and counselling centre. Everyone involved had donated their time, and the project was well on track. It was definitely time to celebrate. They had a ton of guests coming tomorrow, most of them their new friends and helpers, but tonight was Christmas Eve and just for them. “Are you ready to go to bed?” Landon caressed Kendall’s stomach, making his lover moan and push up his groin to try to reach Landon’s hand. “It’s a bit early, isn’t it?” Kendall turned around and looked at Landon with a quizzical expression. “Sleep wasn’t exactly what was on my mind.” Landon winked as he let his hand slide lower on Kendall’s abdomen, still without touching where he knew his lover wanted it. Anticipation was half the fun. “Oh. Oh, of course not.” Kendall grinned. “Must have had too much mulled wine.” “Are you drunk?” Landon widened his eyes in mock horror. “You know it’s not safe to drink and sex.” “‘Drink and sex’?” Kendall laughed out loud. “Is that a new misdemeanour or something? I think you’ve been spending too much time around Ben.”

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“It’s got nothing to do with him. I’ve just got your safety in mind at all times. That spiral staircase leading up to the bedroom in the loft could be lethal if you’re not careful.” Landon really was scared that they’d have an accident one of these days. With the amount of fooling around all over the apartment, it was a miracle nothing had happened so far. “Well, we’ll just have to be careful then.” Kendall got up but—from the looks of it—he wasn’t too steady on his legs at all. Landon supported him up the stairs by holding on to his ass, which made Kendall laugh and swerve on purpose so Landon had to tighten his grip. When they were finally upstairs and had closed the bedroom door behind them for warmth, they took their clothes off in record time and quickly jumped between the sheets. Crawling into each other’s arms for warmth got more than their body temperature to rise. “God, I love this.” Kendall’s voice was muffled because he was burrowed against Landon’s chest, licking and softly biting his nipples. Landon moaned and slid his hands down to cup Kendall’s tempting ass. Frottage with Kendall was so hot that it was their most frequent activity—in bed and out. They’d made very sure the entire apartment was christened…several times. Landon rolled them so he was on top and started to really grind his hips. Kendall pushed back up and lifted his head for a kiss. They thrust their tongues in time with the movements of their lower bodies, and Landon thought the top of his head really might blow off this time. Kendall sucked on his tongue as if his life depended on it. He kept his hands on Landon’s buttocks for the added pressure he needed for his arousal to grow. Coming was soon deliciously inevitable. When Kendall slid a single finger along his crack then penetrated his hole, Landon lost it and came. His body was still jerking with the ecstatic pleasure as he rubbed his still spurting cock against Kendall’s bucking hips when Kendall screamed his name and more heat joined the mess between their bodies. “Shit, that was good.” Kendall kissed him again and reached for the wet wipes on the nightstand to clean them up. “It gets better every time too.” Landon rolled to his side and helped with the cleaning effort, then discarded the used tissues in the trash can next to the bed and pulled Kendall back into his arms.

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“We just need to keep practicing then.” Kendall grinned and cuddled in. “Need to find out if there are any limits.” “Not sure there are.” He might also die of pleasure before they ever got there. “We need to be thorough.” Kendall yawned and closed his eyes. “Wouldn’t want to miss anything important, like a major revelation.” “Got you.” Landon didn’t want to miss anything either. He closed his eyes, listening to his lover’s soft breathing. Convincing Landon of all kinds of new things they just ‘had to’ try had become Kendall’s newest hobby. Landon grinned as he drifted off to sleep. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Liberating the Security Specialist Serena Yates Released 12th November 2011

Excerpt Chapter One

“I have to tell my dad about us as soon as possible.” Ivan Macer wasn’t looking forward to the discussion with his retired Army father, but it had to be done. He owed it to Emilio so they could have the relationship his lover deserved, but more importantly, he owed it to himself. He’d hidden his true nature for far too long already. “There’s no rush, sweetheart.” Emilio smiled at him from across the small kitchen table where they were having breakfast. “I’m okay with giving this some time now that I know where you stand.” “I appreciate your understanding, but this has been a long time coming.” He put down his fork, suddenly no longer hungry. “Now that I have a reason to come out, I don’t want to put it off anymore. Do you know what I mean?” “I do. I just don’t want you to think you have to do it straight away. We’re good.” Emilio picked up his coffee and leant back in his chair, slipping an adventurous socked foot under Ivan’s pants and sliding it up along his leg as he sipped the warm drink. Ivan swallowed, sudden arousal flooding his body, making him tingle all over. They’d made love for the first time yesterday evening, had spent half the night exploring each other’s bodies in detail, and Emilio’s touch still got him hard within seconds. He was so lost. “Are you sure you have to go into the office today?” Emilio’s attempt to look innocent was so overdone it was almost funny.

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“I’m sure. I may co-own the company with Leo, but we’re still barely out of our first year, so we can’t lose focus.” He pushed back his chair and rose, pretending he was about to leave. “Okay.” The corners of Emilio’s mouth dropped. “I guess I can entertain myself until you come home.” “I don’t have my first meeting until ten o’clock, though.” Ivan grinned when Emilio’s face lit up. He stepped around the table, put an arm across Emilio’s shoulders and bent down to kiss him. Emilio opened up immediately and heat flooded him when their tongues met and tangled. He tasted coffee, a hint of mint from the toothpaste his lover had used earlier, and the darker flavour of pure Emilio that he was quickly becoming very addicted to. “Yes!” Emilio’s voice trembled as he slid his arms around Ivan’s neck and dived back into the kissing. They’d showered together and he’d thought the hand-jobs given and received would tide them over, but apparently Emilio had other ideas…not that he minded in the least. He helped the other man up and started walking them towards the living room. “Another ‘couch inspection’?” Emilio’s eyes twinkled as his grin broke through. “You can never have enough of those.” He sat and pulled Emilio down to straddle his thighs. It was by far his favourite position for making out. “Hmmm.” Emilio moaned into his mouth and they returned to kissing as if it was all they were going to do for the rest of the day. Ivan moved Emilio as close as possible and marvelled at how well they fit together. He roamed Emilio’s back with his hands, trying to find skin as he dug under the T-shirt. Emilio pulled back just enough to get the shirt up and off. Ivan’s own button-down was more of a challenge, but Emilio set to his task with gratifying enthusiasm. He ran his fingers across Ivan’s chest, pinching his nipples just right, and Ivan couldn’t hold back any longer. He pushed Emilio onto his back on the sofa then turned around so he was facing his grinning lover. When he opened Emilio’s jeans and found nothing but skin, he groaned in delight. “You went commando?” He didn’t recognise his own voice.

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“Faster access.” Emilio made quick work of his jeans zipper, dug his way past his boxers and pulled out his cock in no time. “No shit.” His laughter changed into a groan when Emilio started licking his cock.

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About the Author I’m a night owl who starts writing when everyone else in my time zone is asleep. I’ve loved reading all my life and spent most of my childhood with my nose buried in a book. Although I always wanted to be a writer, financial independence came first. Twenty-some years and a successful business career later I took some online writing classes and never looked back. Living and working in seven countries has taught me that there’s more than one way to get things done. It has instilled tremendous respect for the many different cultures, beliefs, attitudes and preferences that exist on our planet. I like exploring those differences in my stories, most of which happen to be romances. My characters have a tendency to want to do their own thing, so I often have to rein them back in. The one thing we all agree on is the desire for a happy ending. I currently live in the United Kingdom, sharing my house with a vast collection of books. I like reading, travelling, spending time with my nieces and listening to classical music. I have a passion for science and learning new languages. Email: [email protected]. Serena loves to hear from readers. You can find her contact information, website and author biography at http://www.total-e-bound.com.

Also by Serena Yates Scrolls of Vengeance: The Magic Thieves New Horizons: Rescuing the Librarian New Horizons: Discovering the Actor New Horizons: Encouraging the Writer New Horizons: Supporting the Director New Horizons: Saving the Bodyguard New Horizons: Noticing the Accountant New Horizons: Developing the Counsellor Men of Riverside: Finding Elliot Men of Riverside: Rediscovering Adrian Men of Riverside: Understanding Mark Men of Riverside: Saving Zeke Men of Riverside: Forgiving Jason Men of Riverside: Loving Vicente Mi Amore Collection: Max’s Italian Romance Stealing My Heart: The Magic Thieves Sins of Summer: Summer Escape www.total-e-bound.com

Sins of Autumn: Autumn Quest

Also by Serena Yates and A.J. Llewellyn Elemental Superpowers: The Cake Elemental Superpowers: The Blancmange

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